Harry Potter and the Rise of the Phoenixes
by Shadow Phoenix of Slytherin
Summary: "A phoenix you'll be from tonight," said the sorting-hat to remind them of their destiny. It is the summer after Harry's fifth year and his life couldn't be any better... Sirius is alive, Harry has a new sister... if it wasn't for Voldemort. Follow the adventures sixth year holds for the five while the wizardring world is thrown into a war where death may lurk behind every corner.
1. The Black Manor

**Hello everyone!**

**As promised, here is the continuation of my Dark Phoenix story!**

**_For all readers of the prequel:_ Welcome back and thank you for your loyalty!**

**_For all new readers:_ I would recommend to read **_Harry Potter and the Dark Phoenix_** first, otherwise this story will be very confusing!**

**Well, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Rise of the Phoenixes!**

**And please. this chapter is un-betaed at the moment, as I have not recieved a reply from my beta yet, but didn't want to let you wait any longer. ^^  
**

**Enjoy and Review!  
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**Chapter 1**

Thick fog was hovering over a dirty river that wound between overgrown, rubbish-strewn banks, surrounding a small town. It looked like any other town – here and there a lone soul could be found strolling through the night.

One thing, however, forced a certain part – the magical part - of the population passing through to look twice (or to spin on one's heel). An enormous mansion towered over the small town. Large black gates kept unwanted guests from getting in - and very... unfortunate guests... from getting out.

All sound close to the mansion seemed to have stopped. Nothing was heard apart from the whisper of the black water and no sign of life apart from a scrawny fox that was strolling around.

But then, with a very faint pop, a slim, hooded figure appeared out of thin air on the edge of the river. The fox froze, wary eyes fixed upon this strange new phenomenon. The figure seemed to take its bearings for a few moments, then set off with quick strides, its long cloak rustling over the grass, in the direction of the large gate.

With a second and louder pop, another hooded figure materialized.

"Wait!"

The harsh cry startled the fox, now crouching almost flat in the undergrowth near the mansion's gate. It leapt from its hiding place and tried to disappear around the corner. There was a flash of green light, a yelp, and the fox fell back to the ground, dead.

"Severus! Wait for meee!"

The person stopped shortly and lowered his hood. Severus Snape, the current potions master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, turned around with his trademark scowl in place and regarded to black-haired woman hurrying to catch up with him, with distaste.

"Bellatrix," was his curt reply and he continued walking without bothering to really wait for her.

"He'll be pleased, with the information you have for him, yes?" asked Bella in a gushing voice "You will tell him something that will make him pleased, won't you? And with that we will succeed, won't we? Say!"

But Snape was not listening; he had just walked straight through the closed gate which had shortly dissolved into smoke and strode up to the large front-doors of the mansion.

"Damn you half-blood! Wait!"

The woman grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Remove your hand!" the potions master snarled and drew a wand from beneath his cloak, holding it threateningly in the other's face.

"Oh, Sevvy! You wouldn't-"

"We don't have time for such nonsense. Our Lord is waiting."

Snape steeled himself and rose his hand to knock on the large door. However, before he could touch it, it opened and revealed a tall man with platinum blond hair and pale skin.

The man sneered. "Severus... you are late. And Bellatrix... aren't you supposed to be with Greyback?"

"Good evening, Lucius," Snape replied evenly.

Bellatrix did not greet the man, but rather giggled madly. "It's too boring there! We aren't allowed to kill them, even though they won't raise a finger to help."

"How... unfortunate. Do come in," replied Malfoy haughtily and if it hadn't been for his impressive self-control, Snape would have snorted. Not even a year ago, Lucius would never have opened the door personally to let someone into his mansion – but the Dark Lord was not happy with the man at the moment.

Lucius Malfoy opened the door a little more and they stepped directly into a large stony entrance hall.

"He is waiting in the dining-room..." Malfoy said and gestured over to a door on his left.

Snape didn't acknowledge the man and simply walked past him. Before opening the door he carefully checked if his Occlumency shields were in place and took a deep breath before entering.

He had to suppress a noise of disgust that threatened to escape him every time his eyes fell on the monstrosity that had become out of Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Voldemort.

Voldemort was petting his giant snake Nagini and slowly looked up. The slits on his ashen face that had replaced his nose widened shortly and a twisted smile appeared on the thin lips. Snape forced himself to stare back into the red-eyes that were regarding him closely.

"Severus," Voldemort said softly and his voice made the hairs on the back of the potions master's neck stand to an end. "You should have been here fifteen minutes ago..."

Snape nodded curtly and stepped forward, sunk on his knees before him and kissed the hem of the monster's robe. "Forgive me, my Lord. Dumbledore would not let me leave."

"Is that so?"

Snape nodded once more and took some steps back. "Yes, my Lord."

Voldemort's eyes shifted over to Bellatrix when she threw herself down in front of him and Snape's lips curled in disgust when she repeatedly kissed the man's robe – whispering nonsense.

"Where is Greyback, Bella?" Voldemort asked – lazily waving his wand at the door when Lucius wanted to enter the room.

It closed directly into the blond's face.

"Why are you here? Did I not order you to stay with him?"

She trembled slightly. "My Lord I... they won't help us. There is no need to stay any lo-"

"_Crucio._"

It was a mere whisper, but Bellatrix Lestrange started writhing on the floor in pain and gave a shrill scream which made Snape's ears ring and he looked away.

"_I_ have _ordered _you to stay with Greyback and _you_ will return to him _immediately!_" Voldemort hissed and Nagini slit around the chair to get a better look at the still twitching woman.

The Cruciatus stopped and Bellatrix whimpered before scrambling to her feet. She bowed down to the floor. "Yes, my Lord. Of course, my Lord. It was foolish of me, my Lord, to think that-"

"Go! Wormtail, you will accompany her!"

A man crept, hunchbacked, into the room from a small door on the right-hand side. He had small, watery eyes, a pointed nose, and wore an unpleasant simper. His left hand was caressing his right, which looked as though it was encased in a bright silver glove.

"Certainly! Certainly, my Lord!" he said, in a squeaky voice and hurried out the door after Bellatrix had swiftly made her escape.

Now Snape was on his own. This time, however, he did not look into Voldemort's eyes. A heavy silence lingered over the room, but Snape did not dare to speak before the pale creature asked him to.

"What news do you have for me, Severus?"

He took a deep breath and knelt down again – knowing fully well, that he would be on the receiving end of Voldemort's wand when it appeared as if he was talking down to him.

"Dumbledore's Order, my Lord, has not planned anything specific yet. The only thing I know is, that the members working in the Ministry are ordered to keep an eye on the new Minister."

Snape paused shortly and Voldemort's wand rose for an inch so he hurried to continue: "The Headquarters, however, are no longer located somewhere in London, although the Fidelius is still active. Due to a new spell I can only say, that the Order meets in the county of Kent."

"In Kent," Voldemort sneered. "And Potter? His relatives are dead. Where is he?"

"He is not at Headquarters, my Lord," Snape answered. "It's obvious, though, that after the adoption Black took him in."

"_Crucio!_" Voldemort snapped and the potions master gasped as the pain racked his body. "Don't get cocky Severus. You know better."

"F-forgive me, my Lord,"

Voldemort lifted the curse. "The blood-traitor adopted a little mudblood as well, didn't he?"

Snape nodded while he slowly got his breathing back under control. Voldemort seemed to be deep in thought.

"I have a task for you, Severus."

"My Lord?"

"It is unfortunate that Dolores Umbridge is no longer able to aid you at Hogwarts... because of that, you will try to get the position as the Defence-teacher for this year. And I want you to continue where Umbridge left off."

Snape looked up for a split second. "But my Lord, the werewolf Lupin-"

"_Sectumsempra!_" the creature cut him off. "I don't care how you do it, but you will do it!"

Snape clenched his eyes shut and grit his teeth when the oh so familiar curse hit him and left two large gashes on his chest that made him place a hand on the floor to steady himself. "A-as you wish, my Lord."

Voldemort suddenly rose to his feet and started to slowly pace around the room. Snape took deep calming breaths and pressed a hand on his chest to stop a little bit of the blood flowing out of his wounds. He bristled when Nagini slithered along his legs and resisted the urge to swat her away.

"Now, my spy... I have other tasks for you..."

**...HPHPHP...**

Harry Potter yawned and lazily flicked his hand to levitate another log into the fire.

He had been sitting in a very comfortable plushy black armchair beside his new bedroom-window, reading a book about advanced protection-spells and sometimes staring out at the darkening sky.

They - meaning Sirius Black and his newly adopted daughter Rose and, of course, Harry himself - had moved nearly a week ago and the raven-haired wizard was currently enjoying the summer holidays after his fifth year. The summer, however, was surprisingly chilly and it hadn't stopped raining for three days, which forced him to choose between lighting a fire or putting on some warmer clothes.

He shook his head before he started brooding. It was as if the sun was protecting itself from the threat of Voldemort.

The large room he was allowed to call his own now, had a very expensive wooden floor, was painted a sandy-brown colour and some framed photos of his friends and his parents decorated the walls. Shelves out of East Indian Rosewood were stacked with books and other various knick-knacks and a desk was positioned right in the middle of them on the left-hand-side. A large four-poster bed with black and gold hangings on the other side was standing on a large plushy sand-coloured carpet.

A fireplace was near the door and a set of two small black sofas, an armchair and a small rose-wooden desk were not far away in the corner – also standing on a smaller sandy-brown carpet. The room was very tidy, except for some places: a number of books on dark magic lay higgledy-piggledy among the tangled robes on his bed. Letters from Ron, Neville, Draco and Hermione lay sprawled in between a mess of newspapers. Parchments and quills sat in a puddle of light on his desk.

Harry's eyes travelled over to the newspapers and he sighed softly when one headline particularly sprung into his eyes:

_**HARRY POTTER: THE CHOSEN ONE?**_

He hadn't bothered to read the article, but obviously 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' was no longer enough for the press and now they had started to call him that. How they had gotten wind of the prophecy was beyond him, but he guessed, some Unspeakables had known about the existence of said glass-ball, even if they didn't know the wording.

A second newspaper lay beside the first. This one bore the headline:

_**SCRIMGEOUR SUCCEEDS FUDGE**_

Most of this front page was taken up with a large black-and-white picture of a man with a lion-like mane of thick hair and a rather ravaged face. The picture was moving - the man was waving at the ceiling.

This was the copy from this morning and Harry was glad, that the incompetent fool had finally been sacked. He just hoped that this Scrimgeou-character would do a better job, although when looking at the picture, he doubted it.

Harry's eyes shortly turned to the book in his lap and then continued to take the room in. A large cage was standing opened and not far away from him on the left side of the window on a small table. Despite the open door, inside it was a magnificent snowy owl. Her amber eyes surveyed the room imperiously, her head swivelling occasionally to gaze at him. Once or twice she clicked her beak, restless and eager to fly due to the heavy rain outside.

He continued to ignore the book and once more looked out of the window on the second floor. A large courtyard could be seen and a small road with even smaller street lights was curving along in the distance. When Sirius had talked about a new house five days ago, Harry hadn't believed him at first, but now he did.

The manor of course was located in Kent because of Sirius status as the Marquis of Magical Kent. It was around twenty miles away from a town called Sevenoaks and had been the original residence of the Black family before they had decided to permanently move into their town-house in London during what the muggles called 'The Wars of the Roses'.

Just like Grimmauld Place it couldn't be seen by muggles and thanks to Dumbledore helping Sirius with the warding, was also under the Fidelius charm with Sirius as the secret keeper.

According to Sirius, not far away from them there was another manor that had belonged to the Black family and had once been an exact replica of the one they were living in now. However, they had sold it to muggles and other than them, the Black-family had never extended their house, but had rather rebuilt it every hundred years or so (no matter that they didn't even live there for around five centuries...)

Therefore, the house they now lived in was a large Victorian building, surrounded on all sides by a square moat, crossed by two bridges leading to the small road and to the already mentioned large courtyard with a comfortable sitting area near a beautifully crafted circular fountain with five animal statues facing the four cardinal points and another one on top of it.

Facing north, a wolf had his head raised high as if howling to the moon and a large black dog did the same while facing south. Looking in the directions of west and east were a stag and a doe, both majestically surveying their surroundings. The animal on the top of the fountain however was a phoenix with spread wings.

It symbolized the Marauders and Lily, Harry's mother. And although a Phoenix did not only represent Harry's animagus-transformation, Sirius and Remus insisted, that it was him.

Another great thing in the courtyard was – to Harry's and Rose's immense delight – a small Quidditch-pitch.

Other than the town-house at Grimmauld Place, there were no traces of dark magic (except books) in this house and Sirius had proudly announced that he himself (with a little help of Remus) had decorated and furnished it and with a little bit of surprise Harry had noted that the man had a very good – but of course also very expensive – taste.

The furniture in his room alone was probably worth as much as the Dursley's house had been. Not to mention, that he had his very own bathroom just behind the door near the large bed.

The manor itself had seven bedrooms. Two of them were already occupied by Harry and his newly adopted sister Rose. And two more would be occupied by Narcissa and Draco as soon as the two returned. The pair had decided to accompany Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel to their house in Australia. Narcissa had been restricted to Grimmauld Place for far too long and as soon as Draco had seen her on the station, he had literally ordered his mother to grab some stuff and not an hour later the two had disappeared.

The other three bedrooms would be guest rooms. There also was a circular master-bedroom in the tower that was part of the manor. It resembled the Gryffindor common room, just with a large bed instead of the plushy armchairs. On the ground-floor the circular room was a library.

The entrance hall reminded Harry a little bit of a Greek temple with the sandy coloured marble floor and pillars, as well as two small and simple fountains on each side of the grand staircase leading to the second floor. He knew that Sirius had wanted to let every trace of the Blacks being a dark family disappear with that. Several large tapestries showing various landscapes were also one of the first things you saw when you entered the house through the large front door.

Five doors led to different large rooms. One was located behind the staircase and led to the aforementioned circular library. Another one, next to the stairs lead to a perfectly furnished kitchen that was next to a dining room that rivalled pictures of the ones in splendid castles where one would only see gorgeously apparelled people.

On the other side of the stairs was a door leading to a very luxurious living room that had everything one – be it muggle or wizard - could desire and would be able to fit more than twenty people in it. This time it was connected with a very large room that sported a swimming pool and had an ambience that easily compared to the wellness-areas in luxury hotels.

On both sides of the hall were stairs behind doors, leading down into the cellar. There, a fully equipped potions lab and a rather empty looking room could be found. Only targets, four armchairs, cushions and several mirrors on the wall were in there. It was the duelling-room.

"HEEEEEELP!"

The high-pitched scream made Harry six feet into the air and immediately his wand appeared in his hand. Hedwig screeched when the book he had been holding hit her cage due to Harry having thrown it away while jumping out the door.

He stopped shortly in the hallway and tried to pinpoint the screams' location. It could only have been Rose because Harry knew for certain, that Sirius was outside in the former horse-stables feeding Buckbeak. He had to smile despite his worry. And the Marauder surely was unable to scream that high-pitched.

"HARRY! SIRIUS!"

He realized where the scream had come from rushed down the large staircase and looked around in the Entrance Hall.

"ROSE?"

A small brown-haired girl stormed out of the kitchen, her face pale and panicky. Her eyes widened and she flew into his arms - only staying there for the break of a second while Harry surveyed his surroundings for any danger - before frantically dragging him back to where she came from.

"Rose? Rosie, what's wrong?" Harry asked worriedly and she shook her head.

"Sorry! Harry, you have to come quick! P-p-professor Snape is here. And... he's hurt! Where's Sirius?"

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" bellowed a worried voice and Harry didn't bother to answer but rather followed Rose into the kitchen. "Harry? Rose? Where are you?"

He stopped for a second, when he saw Snape hunched over on one of the chairs near the large fireplace and then immediately looked at his newly adopted sister. He thought for a second. She had to get out of here before she really started panicking. "Rose, get some clean cloths and a bowl out of the bathroom and wet them. Then bring them here."

Rose looked between Harry and Snape before nodding slowly and then hurried away.

Harry went over to Snape. "Professor, what happened?"

"G-get Dumbledore first, Potter!" the man ordered through clenched teeth and groaned afterwards.

Giving a hesitant nod, Harry didn't acknowledge his godfather-turned-adoptive-father when he barged into the kitchen and threw some floo-powder into the fireplace.

"What in Merlin's name's going on here?" he heard Sirius ask. "Snivellus what happend to you?"

"Shut up, you mangy mutt!"

"Albus Dumbledore!" Harry shouted, ignoring the brewing argument of the two adults and instead of a head appearing in the green flames as Harry had expected, a whole person stepped out of it He stumbled backwards when a tall old man with white hair and an equally white beard appeared He was wearing a dark blue cloak with silver stars on it and a pale blue robe underneath it. He was looking at him over his half-moon spectacles.

"Harry, my boy. I just wanted to come over. What is..." he trailed off when his eyes fell on the hunched over potions master who was currently being bombarded with questions by Sirius.

"Severus," he said and with a flick of his wand the thick black robe Snape had been wearing disappeared and left better access to the wounds on his chest. "What happened?"

Snape looked up and grimaced, while Harry – after a nod from the headmaster – helped the man to carefully clean one of the large gashes. Sirius meanwhile had gone over to the cupboards and was searching for something.

Snape did not answer, but threw a pointed look over to the door, where Rose was standing once more, carrying a bowl and some cloths. She looked at each of them, a little unsure.

Sirius shared a short look with Harry and then immediately hurried over to her and blocked her line of vision. "Thanks, Rosie. You did great. Just give them to me."

He caressed her cheek and nodded over to the door behind her, saying in a soft voice: "Please don't worry, okay? Why don't you go up and take a shower before dinner? You'd like to make a good impression on Mr. Greengrass when he comes to oversee the adoption-ritual, don't you?"

"I... yes," she mumbled quietly and peered around Sirius at Harry, who was standing in front of Snape so that she could not see the man's injuries. "Is he going to be okay?"

Harry nodded and gave her an encouraging smile which made her shoulders sack in relief before she slowly turned around and left the kitchen.

Sirius sighed audibly and went back over to the cupboard and continued searching through it.

Snape hissed when Harry and Dumbledore vanished the blood on his skin and shirt. "The Dark Lord wants me to take Lupin's position this year. He also said something else... well it's something I'd like to talk to you about in private."

"Damn it, why not here?" Harry growled. "Why did you come here anyway? Why didn't you go to Pomfrey?"

"She is on holiday," Dumbledore answered for him. "And Hogwarts is otherwise deserted as well. With the exception of Mr. Filch and Hagrid. I myself was only at Hogwarts to check the wards when you called."

"Oh."

Snape sighed in relief when the gashes on his chest slowly closed as Dumbledore waved his wand and looked at Harry this time. "He knows about your violent reaction to dragon-blood as well. And he wants me to test your reaction and report the symptoms to him."

"I know that he knows..." Harry murmured sullenly. "Avery was the one who told him roughly two weeks ago."

Suddenly Sirius pressed a vial into the potions master's hand and Snape slowly blinked up at him which looked strangely insulting. "What is that, Black?"

Sirius scowled at him. "You're the expert here. It's a nerve-calming potion to the lessen the post-cruciatus effect."

Snape grumbled inaudibly and uncorked the vial before carefully sniffing it. Obviously not finding anything wrong with it, he drank it without as much as moving a muscle at the horrible taste.

Dumbledore sighed when the gashes on Snape's chest were nearly all the way closed up and the man immediately stood up. "Severus, I want you to rest until tomorrow before talking about the other things that Voldemort said. It can't be that urgent if he cursed you this much."

"But-"

Harry smiled a little bit when Dumbledore simply raised his hand and made the man close his mouth with that. Snape then just nodded curtly and with a small nod at Harry, threw floo-powder. He shortly looked at Sirius before vanishing. "I will I return at eleven o'clock with the potion for the ritual."

Dumbledore shook his head and turned to Harry. "I will also return shortly. I need to have a word with you."

"Err... sure," Harry replied, not really knowing what exactly he had done _this _time.

The headmaster also disappeared into the flames and Harry and Sirius looked at each other.

"Well..." the animagus said. "I will get started on dinner then. Would you check on Rose after she finished her shower?"

He nodded. "Sure."

**...HPHPHP...**

Harry was once more sitting in the armchair by the window while waiting for Rose to finish her shower. Hedwig had left her cage and was now sitting on his wardrobe. He heard a small noise in the hallway and looked over to his open door.

"Rose?" he asked, "Would you mind coming in until dinner's ready?"

"Hey, Harry..." Rose said, her damp hair heavilly faling on her shoulders. She was wearing silky black pants and a purple velvety shirt now. "How's Professor Snape? What... what's going on?"

He shook his head and gestured her to sit down. "Everything's okay. Snape got a little roughed up while running and errand for Professor Dumbledore."

"Oh...okay..." She fidgeted nervously and looked down at her hands. Harry had to give it to her, she was a rather smart little girl for not asking any more questions. Explining to her what had really happened, wasn't something Harry was very keen on doing.

"Say... will you be present at the ritual at eleven o'clock?"

Slightly surprised at the abrupt change in topic, he nodded. "Sure. I will try to be there fore the full two hours."

She grimaced. "Why does it have to take so long? And why's it so late at night anyways?"

He smiled softly. "Because this ritual is very complicated and can only be successful when additionally to the potion and the rune-circle, the right star constellations are above you."

"Will it... will it hurt?" she asked very quietly.

Harry stood up and went over to her, giving her a small hug. "Rosie, you don't need to be afraid of the ritual. I've told you before, the only thing you'll have to fear is probably the bad taste of the potion and a small difference in appearance the next time you look into a mirror."

"But... what if Sirius decides that he wants to chancel the blood-adoption? If he... if he decides that he doesn't want me any more?"

"Rose Celeste Black!" snapped Harry and Rose tensed shortly, before seeing the smile on his face. "He's already adopted you legally and the blood-adoption is something to further ensure your safety. Or has Sirius done anything to suggest he'd abandon you?"

She gulped slightly and then shook her head with a small sigh. "No... I guess I'm just nervous. After that he'll be my real father – by blood I mean – and not just my adoptive father."

Harry grinned and closed the door behind him when they left his room. "Jep, and I bet he's more worried about making mistakes than you are. Imagine how messed up _I'd_ be if he'd been able to adopt me when I was little and not only two weeks ago."

Rose stared at him and opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted before she could say anything.

"COME ON YOU TWO OR I'LL EAT EVERTHING MYSELF!"

Harry smirked. "I guess dinner's ready then."

Rose giggled. "I heard."

**...HPHPHP...**

When they reached the kitchen, Harry threw himself on a free chair on a table in the middle of the kitchen. They had decided to only use the dining room when the Order members would stay for dinner. He chuckled while his godfather-turned-adoptive-father carefully carried two pots and three plates over to the table while trying to hold his balance.

Harry noted with amusement that a strand of the man's silky black hair kept getting into his silvery eyes and that Sirius was trying to blow it out of his face each time – not really making his task of balancing the food easier.

"Siri... you _do_ know, that there's something called magic to levitate things?"

"Quiet pup!" he grinned and put the things on the table. "If I'd do anything with magic, I'll look like that Dursley-fellow did in no time."

With a slight shudder at the thought Harry loaded his plate with some roast-potatoes and roast lamb while Sirius plopped down in-between Rose and himself.

"I hope it's edible this time..." murmured Rose and Sirius mock-pouted.

"Why?" he asked and took a bite to proof it was harmless. "I only burned the meat once while cooking for the first time here. _Once!_ Why're you two still on about that?"

"Dunno... maybe because you not only burned it to a crisp, but also used sugar instead of salt to make it worse?" Harry smirked.

Sirius frowned slightly. "Yeah, well... d'you think we should get another house-elf?" He looked over to a small door where Kreacher currently resided. "He may've gotten a little friendlier but he's definitely unable to do any more work around the house. He's too old."

"Well I think I could ask Do-"

Harry stopped talking and his head snapped over to the fireplace. "Sir... weren't you supposed to come after dinner?"

Dumbledore stepped out of it and with a sigh, Harry mentally prepared himself for abandoning his dinner as he saw the serious expression on the man's face. Sirius had half risen to his feet, but Dumbledore gestured him to stay seated and gave them an apologetic smile.

"Good evening once more, Sirius, Rose. And Harry, I am sorry, I did not mean to interrupt your dinner, but I am afraid the matter is urgent now."

Harry shovelled a last bite of his potatoes into his mouth and shook his head. _'What is it now?'_ was the first thing he thought. He got up and held the door to the hallway open for him and led him into the living-room without saying anything.

"Please, feel free to sit down, Sir," he finally said softly when Dumbledore did not attempt to start the conversation. "What exactly is the problem? It has nothing to do with Snape now, has it? I hope he is recovering?"

"No it has not. And yes, I had to order him to rest, but he complied." Dumbledore did not take the offered seat, but merely peered at him over his half-moon spectacles. "Harry, do you remember what I told you about Voldemort's horcruxes after you came back from the Department of Mysteries three weeks ago?"

With a slightly bitter laugh, Harry shook his head and started to slowly pace in front of the old wizard. "How could I forget?"

The headmaster nodded slowly and then stared at him for a long time. "I have also told you that I will not make the mistake of keeping secrets from you again. You remember this as well?"

Harry stopped his pacing, not really understanding what exactly was going on. "Yes, Headmaster...?"

He left his answer hanging around the room as a question and Dumbledore once more nodded. This by far had to be the most strangest conversation he had ever had with the old wizard and he nearly tripped at the man's next words.

"Then I will be direct: I know where another horcrux is located."

"You... I... what?" he spluttered. "I mean... when? How? Or better - where?"

Obviously a little amused at Harry's inability to form a coherent sentence at the moment, Dumbledore gave him a small smile and a little bit of the twinkle that had been absent returned to his eyes. "The 'when' and 'how' are not important for the time being, my boy. And for the 'where'... it's located in a small run-down cottage not far away from the graveyard in Little Hangleton."

The hairs on the back of Harry's neck stood to an end when he heard that. "In a _run-down_ cottage?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Why in Merlin's name would Voldemort stash one of his horcruxes away in an old cottage?"

Dumbledore sighed softly. "I forgot that you don't know... we shall speak about the 'why' afterwards."

"Oh, honestly Sir! You're starting to annoy me here!" he huffed and let a small smile slip which disappeared as soon as it had been there. "Thank you for telling me about that, but... what exactly am I supposed to do with that information?"

Dumbledore seemed to look for something in the pocket of his long dark blue robe while answering: "You see, Harry, I would like you to accompany me in retrieving the item. It is only fair since it concerns you as much as it does me."

"Alone?"

Dumbledore inclined his head. "With me of course."

Harry blinked and slowly shook his head. "Won't any other member of the Order come with us?"

"I am afraid they are all otherwise occupied. We two will have to do it alone. Normally I wouldn't ask of you to come with me alone, but as I said before. It's urgent to retrieve that item."

"Now?"

"Preferably, yes."

* * *

**And, did you like it so far? Review please!**

**Shadow Phoenix of Slytherin**


	2. The Ring

**Hello, my dear readers!**

**I am simply overwhelmed by the response the first chapter already got! Thank you sooo much! Keep it up!**

**And I also hope this chapter will clean up some confusion over Pettigrew. But I can't say I did not expect you to get a little confused. BUT: In the Dark Phoenix story, I mentioned, the date of his execution has yet to be set. So he is not dead yet. ^^**

**HP  
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**And very important: I am unable to send e-mails at the moment, I don't know why, so I wasn't able to reach my beta EKdude to proof-read. So please excuse the mistakes in this chapter I will try to rectify them as soon as possible.**

**HP  
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**_ EKdude:_ If you read this, I hope you're still up for beta-ing and sorry for not sending you the chapter! I will do it as soon as my e-mail programme works again!**

**_And finally, one more thing: I won't be able to write for at least two weeks, because I am going on holiday in Frane in a few hours. But I promise to have another chapter as soon as possible afterwards!_  
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**But enough rambling.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 2_  
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It had taken him around ten minutes to get ready after Dumbledore's early arrival at the Black Manor while the man had explained the situation to Sirius. The animagus had been very reluctant to let Harry go with the old wizard and Rose had had a slightly crestfallen look on her face when she was told he would be leaving. After a little persuading on Harry's side, however, the dog-animagus had agreed to let him go.

"Professor?" Harry asked when he and Dumbledore appeared next to a large rose-bush that to his immense annoyance got stuck in his thin pullover. "Up there... that's the graveyard, isn't it?"

He was looking at the base of a hill with an old and worn looking manor on top of it. A small chapel... destroyed tombstones... everything was just as he remembered it. A slightly scorched area in the middle of the graveyard caught his attention. This was where the dome of light caused by the _Priori Incantatem_ had appeared. Harry blinked quickly and looked away. It was something else to remember what happened here at the end of his fourth year than being here once again and seeing the place for real.

He closed his eyes for a few moments; paying his respects to the seventeen year old wizard that had lost his life on the day of Voldemort's resurrection - Cedric Diggory.

When he opened his eyes, Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "Indeed it is. But alas, it's not our destination. Do you see the small house down the road?"

He pointed to his left and Harry's eyes followed the direction of the aged wizard's finger while extracting some of the thorns the rose-bush had left in his sleeve. "Yeah..."

A very small and very ugly wooden cottage could be seen at the end of a barely maintained road. The dark clouds looming in the sky and the occasional drops of rain didn't help to make the sad picture in front of the duo more inviting. Harry titled his head. _'I still can't understand why Voldemort would hide his horcrux here...'_

Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a piercing stare. "My boy, I want you to promise me not to act on your own accord, all right? The house has for small rooms separated by a small hallway. Inside the house, we will split up so that we find the horcrux as soon as possible."

At Harry's nod, he continued: "If you find something, call me and wait until I arrive. I know you are quite powerful, but let's not take any chances."

Harry nodded without looking away. "I understand, sir."

Dumbledore looked at him for a little more and Harry felt as if he was being analysed from head to toe even though the headmaster was only looking at his eyes.

"Very well, then let us proceed."

**...HPHPHP...**

Fifteen minutes later, Harry was wondering why exactly he had not insisted on finishing his dinner first. He cast a wordless _Lumos_ when the dying light from outside the cottage was no longer enough to illuminate the room he was standing in.

He cursed whatever deity there was. Why did Dumbledore have to find another horcrux before the blood-adoption ritual of his new little sister? Had he not promised Rose to stay with her not even an hour ago? Well, he needed to look for a ring in a rotten cottage now, so that promise went out of the window.

He shook his head. He should be happy to get his hands on another horcrux, but that somehow was not very easy with an empty stomach.

Focusing his thoughts on his current task, he squared his shoulders and left the firs room after thoroughly searching it. Quietly, very quietly he tiptoed forwards, the glowing wand casting an eerie light on his face which was shadowed by dark bangs and the rest of his chin-long hair. He took another step forward when a rustling of clothes made him stop in his tracks.

He looked over his shoulder and gave a relieved sigh when he noticed that it had just been Dumbledore walking trough the small hallway to look into another room. Harry continued his way to an old door at the end of the hallway and stopped in front of it.

With a loud creaking of the metallic hinges the old, slowly putrefying door opened and made it possible for him to get a view of the dark room behind it.

He slowly entered and looked back at the door. A grimace formed on his face when he saw the skeleton of a rotten snake nailed on it. It swung pitifully when he closed the door halfway. '_That's just sick!' _The thought rushed trough his head when he examined the rest of the room.

There was only a half-destroyed armchair near a relatively intact fireplace to his left side and on his right-hand-side was a window, so dirty that you weren't able to see the now nearly completely dark sky outside. An empty bookshelf was next to it and not far from it stood a small chest.

Still careful, he took another step into the room to illuminate every corner of it. Another grimace formed on his face and he shortly looked away before shaking his head in disgust and steeling himself.

A skeleton was lying in the opposite corner of the room. A human skeleton. Probably that of a woman when you considered the size and build of it.

With swift steps he went over to it and grabbed into the pockets of his long black cloak. He took out a pair of black dragon-hide gloves and put them on, before reluctantly touching the skeleton's twisted arm.

His eyes travelled over each finger of the skeleton's right hand and then he repeated the process on the left hand. With a sigh he wanted to stand up. The thing he was looking for didn't seem to be here. But then his eyes caught sight of a slightly shimmering chain around the skeletons neck, hanging tangled between the ribs.

His eyes widened and his hand inched towards the chain to get a better look at it. He stopped when something resembling a light electrical shock travelled through his arm and turned his head in the direction of the door.

"Professor? I believe I've found it!" he called over his shoulder and poked the ring softly with his wand, deciding it was safer not to touch it with his hands for now.

"_Who disturbsss my ssslumber?"_ tuned a faint voice trough the room and his eyes widened slightly.

The headmaster entered not even five seconds afterwards.

"Indeed you have," whispered Dumbledore and sounded slightly amazed and Harry had to suppress a small grin of amusement when the man squatted down next to him to get a closer look. "It's the ring, the stone… yes, Harry, that's what we've been looking for. Take a step back, please."

Harry obeyed and the headmaster flicked his wand. Suddenly a dark black puff of smoke rose from the ring and whirled around them.

The hairs on the back of Harry's neck stood to an end and he gasped softly when a wave of purely dark magic washed over him – nearly blowing him off his feet. Never in his entire life had he felt something like that before. Not even when he had faced the weakened Voldemort.

He exhaled slowly and stared at the ring without blinking. Harry had to shake himself out of his magic induced stupor. He knew why the Dark Arts were something the people who had lost hope or wanted to prove themselves turned to. He knew very well why it was so easy to become addicted to them. The power of pure dark magic just felt… excellent.

"Of course..." murmured Dumbledore and softly spoke another spell then, while Harry observed him. "It would've been too easy otherwise."

"Professor?" asked Harry after Dumbledore had murmured several other spells.

Dumbledore shook his head and rose to his feet with a small frown. "We won't be able to get this ring just like that. The curse is too powerful to be lifted. Not even I – and I dare say that I'm an excellent curse breaker myself – am able to break it fully."

"And the curse will activate when one of us touches the ring, won't it?" asked Harry when the hissing sound reached his ears anew.

Dumbledore nodded and both remained motionless for a short while. Harry, who was now kneeling in front of the skeleton, looked up. "Professor. It's impossible for a curse or ward to be unbreakable, isn't it? It's only impossible for certain people to break certain curses or wards as not everyone is able to do the same things as the caster of the curse or ward. So there must be a way to get the ring."

The headmaster nodded and slowly, Dumbledore's hand came closer and closer to the ring and after a small flinch of the man, Harry guessed that he had felt the slight electrical shock as well.

"_Foolsss… yesss… come on, touch me… touch me and then my hunger will be ssstatisssfied!"_

Harry's arm shot forward and grabbed the Professor's even though he had made no other move to grab the ring. "That... Professor, the ring just spoke parseltongue... that absolutely _can't_ mean anything good now, can it?"

"I quite agree, my boy," said Dumbledore, his hand still lingering above the ring. "It's very dangerous." He removed his hand from above the ring and scratched his nose. "But for the time being I'm at a loss how else to get the ring. We have to touch it in order to get it."

Harry saw a slight movement on the ring and the small stone embedded in it began to glow softly. _"__Touch me… yesss. I make your dreamsss come true… and then I'll kill you…"_

"What does this mean?" asked Harry softly and looked at Dumbledore, who had a sad look on his face now while looking at the ring. Harry wondered why... the aged wizard was unable to understand the language of the snakes.

"It said it'll make my dreams come true… what the hell is this ring?"

Dumbledore sighed. "This, Harry, is as you know, one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. It's just a simple ring… but so much more at the same time. The voice you hear talking seems to be a mixed result of the stone's power and Voldemort's curse." He shook his head. "And a powerful curse it is… a very powerful one indeed. Like I said before we are currently unable to break the curse."

Harry looked at his gloved hands and gave the headmaster a questioning look.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I don't think that they will make much of a difference."

_"Come on… yesss. Touch me!"_

Ignoring the persistent hissing Harry asked: "So… I assume that Voldemort put the curse on the ring to protect the piece of his soul?"

The headmaster nodded. "Yes."

"Then… what if it's something relating to parseltongue?"

Dumbledore's eyes lit up in understanding and Harry could nearly see the inner conflict that was now taking place in the man's head.

"Maybe I can do it. Can you see the small snake moving around on the ring? It has to be the source of the curse. Sir…" Harry pressed on. "Sir… let me do it. Maybe… maybe it won't affect me, because I'm a parselmouth, just like Voldemort."

"It is indeed possible, that Voldemort used a curse in parseltongue... but you would need the correct phrase to break the curse. And that, I am afraid, is something I have no knowledge of."

"I think I know the phrase," Harry replied immediately, even though he was not sure at all. "So let me do it."

Dumbledore opened his mouth, seemingly to protest and suggest something else but Harry continued to look him directly in the eyes and saw the aged wizard's resolve crumble little by little. Finally Dumbledore sighed and his lips formed a thin line. "I don't think you should... but... very well. I will trust your judgement. But be careful my boy."

Harry took a deep breath and nodded, smiling slightly.

His hand slowly went to the ring while the hissing sound grew louder and louder. Next to him Dumbledore raised his wand and Harry took a slightly shaky breath, before his gloved fingers touched the ring.

Immediately he had the feeling as if his head would split in two. He gasped and squinted his eyes tightly shut when stars started dancing in front of them. Angry hissing reached his ears and his heart started beating widely.

"_What isss that? Intruder but not… Massster? Isss that you?"_

Harry opened his eyes and saw that he couldn't see Dumbledore anymore. A thick mist of black smoke had gathered around him. He groaned and stared at the ring in his hand.

"_Massster?"_

He clenched his teeth. "_No, I'm not your Massster,"_ he hissed back.

"_But a ssspeaker. You ssspeak the noble tongue!"_, the small snake engraved on the ring started glowing in a green light and suddenly curled itself more around the ring.

"_I demand thisss curse to be lifted,"_ hissed Harry and blinked away the tears of pain gathering in the corner of his eyes while sweat tickled down his forehead. _"I need the ring."_

"_You are not my massster, but you are a ssspeaker. What to do…" _

"_Lift thisss curse!"_ ordered Harry once more and groaned anew when the pain in his head increased. He could feel Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder.

"_Jussst with the right wordsss your requessst will be granted!"_ the snake hissed when the smoke around Harry started to crackle and he had the feeling electricity was shooting trough his body, adding to the pain in his head, or more precisely: The pain in his scar.

Harry frantically thought of something Voldemort could have made up to lift the curse. He had an idea... but what would happen if he was wrong? Somehow he must have thought of a way to overcome it himself after all.

With dread he noticed the dragon-hide glove melting away and gasped when a stabbing pain shot through his left arm, adding to the rest. His fingers were turning a sickly black colour – the blackness spreading like a thin spider-web, disappearing under the sleeve of his pullover. He could no longer feel the ring in his hand or Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder.

His eyes widened when he felt his heart starting to beat irregularly and suddenly he thought back to the Chamber of Secrets, where Riddle had summoned the Basilisk. Had he used the same words to render the curse ineffective? If not... he shook his head. It was his only chance of lifting the curse. He would try something else first.

His breathing now came out as erratic pants and he looked at the snake. _"I, Lord Voldemort dema-_

But the snake interrupted him: _"NO!"_

The pain, Harry had not thought could get any worse, increased tenfold and his vision swam, before going entirely black. He heard his own blood roaring in his ears and a large burst of dark magic he vaguely registered through the pain nearly forced him into unconsciousness.

But suddenly, his thoughts came to a halt and in his pain-induced haze he put the ring on the ring-finger of his left hand. Could it _really_ be that simple? Had he used a similar phrase...?

"_In the name of Ssslytherin, greatessst of the Hogwartsss four, the curse shall be lifted." _With that, all thought disappeared from Harry's mind and he coughed violently.

"_Very well. The curse shall be lifted."_

The snake hissed something else Harry couldn't understand anymore and suddenly he was blown backwards. His head and back painfully collided with the wall at the other side of the small room.

His thoughts came back to him, but his head started to throb painfully. He blinked slightly through the black haze impairing his vision.

Then, suddenly, he was able to see clearly again. As if he had forgotten how to do so before, he gasped for breath and clenched his eyes shut once more until the pain he now felt from the collision with the wall lessened to a bearable extend.

His eyes then snapped down to his hand which had gone back to normal -save for the slight red hue his skin had taken on - and he carefully wriggled his fingers. The feeling in them was back as well.

His heartbeat had returned to normal, but now he had to fight the throbbing in his back and the headache that had replaced his scar hurting. With a cough he sat up a little straighter and stared at the ring on his finger. The thick black mist that had gathered in the room was slowly ebbing away and he could make out Dumbledore's features not far away from him, looking around warily.

The man's robes were slightly torn and a small scratch was on his cheek. Harry blinked confused at this until he was able to see the room when the mist had dissolved completely. It was in shambles, there was no better word for it.

The old floor and ceiling had large cracks in them and splinters lay everywhere. Even a wooden beam had crashed down not far away from the door leading to the small hallway. The two small windows were shattered and instead of the black mist, dust was now swirling through the room.

Suddenly Dumbledore's eyes snapped over to him and the professor crouched down in front of him.

"Harry!" the aged wizard said roughly and Harry noted his voice was slightly laced with panic. "Are you all right, my boy? Answer me, Harry!"

He nodded groggily and with sluggish movements removed the ring from his finger. He held it out to the headmaster. Dumbledore stared at it and he wanted to grab it but then he hesitated and frowned.

Harry also looked at it. "The snake... it said the curse is lifted… I guess it's safe to touch it now."

He was surprised how raspy his voice sounded and tried clearing his throat without success.

Dumbledore looked up, deep into Harry's eyes. For a short time he seemed to search something in them. Apparently having found what he was looking for, he nodded. "Are you certain that you are all right? You aren't feeling any pain or disorientation?"

"Don't even ask... I feel like..." Harry groaned and placed a hand on his throbbing head. "I feel like death warmed over but I'll live."

The headmaster gave a relieved sigh, but shook his head. "I shouldn't have let you do that. You could have died. I had feared for the worst when you collapsed and started screaming, but I was forced back and unable to reach you afterwards."

"I screamed?" Harry asked baffled.

Dumbledore nodded slowly, still scanning him with his piercing gaze. Then he looked back at the ring. "The curse is lifted, yes..."

Harry nodded tiredly and rubbed his head when Dumbledore carefully took the ring into his own hands. The snake on the ring suddenly disappeared with a loud hiss and he gave another sigh before looking back at Harry.

"You did a great job, my boy. The only dark magic remaining is that of Voldemort's soul."

"Well that's not really encouraging..." Harry replied and groaned when he tried to stand up. "Sir, do you still not know how to destroy the horcruxes?"

Dumbledore sadly shook his head. "I am afraid not. I am missing something essential but I can't put my finger on _what_ it is that I have not considered. Nicolas uses every free time he has by going through every book that could be helpful in our quest to destroy the horcruxes, but alas... he has had no success so far."

Harry tried to pull himself up with the help of the nearby bookcase and yelped when Dumbledore took his hand to help him.

The headmaster's hand recoiled and with a look at Harry's arm and then at his face, he took the other hand instead.

Harry looked at his left hand and for the first time noted the singed edges of his thin pullover and that his skin now looked as if he had poured a bucket of boiling water over it. It was red and angry-looking blisters had appeared all over it. He moved it slightly and grimaced. From the pain shooting trough his whole arm he concluded that it was not only his hand that looked like that.

"Professor... what exactly happened to my arm?" Harry then asked softly and bit back a moan when he finally stood on his feet. He ignored the urge to simply sit down again and flexed his fingers once more. "My skin suddenly turned black and I couldn't feel anything. Mind you, now it hurts like hell..."

"That would have been the curse trying to attack you," Dumbledore replied with a concerned look at his hand and held his arm out so that he could lean on it. "It would have been surprising if it hadn't left any damage. But I am sure it's nothing to worry about. But alas, I believe we should head back now."

Harry just nodded tiredly and felt his eyes close as the familiar sensation of apparating made them disappear.

**...HPHPHP...**

Sirius Black was worried.

Yes, that much was obvious for everyone watching him at the moment.

He was restlessly pacing around in the duelling room that was currently used for the blood-adoption ritual.

Not only was his adoptive daughter lying unconscious in the middle of a circle consisting of eerily glowing and very complicated runes, but his godson - no, his _son -_ was still not back from his trip with Dumbledore!

The other occupants of the room tried to ignore him to the best of their ability, as it was the case with a slightly tired looking Severus Snape and the Ministry official that bore witness to the ritual, Augustus Greengrass.

The around forty looking, over six-hundred year old wizard that had drawn the rune-circle, Nicolas Flamel, had no time to pay attention to Sirius because he needed to constantly check if the runes were in order and that no complications arose.

So it fell to the only recently arrived Remus Lupin to try and calm his nearly panicking friend down. He was sitting on a chair not far away from the door and crossed his arms when Sirius passed him for the twentieth time in the last ten minutes.

"Sit down Sirius, you're just making yourself more nervous," he said calmly and shortly snapped Sirius out of his worried thoughts. "And all your pacing won't do any good."

"Moony..." he said and his eyes shortly rested on the unmoving form of Rose. "What if something happened? What if they got separated? What if Voldemort was there? What if-"

"_Calm down_!" Remus snapped, finally loosing his patience. That he himself was feeling on edge did not help. He gestured over to Mr. Greengrass who was now quietly conversing with Snape in a small makeshift seating-corner. "If you need something to do, make yourself useful and ask if he needs something, rather than going crazy like a headless chicken!"

Sirius stared at his long-time friend, before reluctantly plopping down on another spare chair next to him.

He threw Remus an incredulous look. "Aren't you worried at all?"

Throwing his hands in the air he continued, although he did not raise his voice – it was not something Mr. Greengrass should hear after all: "He's still sixteen for Merlin's sake! He should be playing Quidditch at the moment or driving me up the wall with pranks and bad behaviour, but he should _not_ be out horcrux-hunting!"

"Of course I'm worried!" Remus replied slightly miffed. "And I agree with what you said, but I just accepted that I can't do anything to keep Harry from doing what he thinks is right. He's too independent for that."

Sirius just wanted to open his mouth to retort when a small owl sailed into the room, carrying a newspaper. He looked at it in disbelief.

"I don't understand why those owls arrive always that late..." grumbled Sirius and automatically handed a Knut to the owl while looking back at Remus. "The _Evening Prophet_ is supposed to arrive at _eight_, not at _midnight_!"

"Wards, Paddy," was the only thing the werewolf answered, glad that his friend was distracted for the time being. He shifted in his seat to get more comfortable. "And please, just read that paper now, that'll give you something to do."

"Yeah, yeah..." Sirius replied grumpily and unfolded the paper.

Remus was just observing how Nicolas redrew another rune near Rose's head when the dog-animagus let out an angry yell and with a 'swat' threw the newspaper away, nearly hitting the werewolf's head with it if he had not dodged in time.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"

"What the...?" Remus looked at his friend in puzzlement and with a flick of his wand the abandoned paper flew over to him.

Sirius growled, went over to Snape and grabbed him at the front of his dark robes with a snarl on his face. "Why _didn't_ you tell us?! You must've seen him!"

Remus nearly threw the paper down as well, when the headline sprung into his eyes.

**...HP...**

**ESCAPE OF PETER PETTIGREW**

**Confirmed Death Eater to be executed next week was able to get out of his cell!**

**...HP..**

Snape stared at the animagus with slight confusion and then his eyes hushed over to the newspaper Remus had helpfully raised in the air for him to see. He sighed softly and swatted Sirius' hands away. "I've told Dumbledore and he said he will announce it tomorrow at the planned Order-meeting."

"Good decision," Sirius scoffed. "As if the whole Order doesn't already know now!"

"He has more important things to do, as you very well know!" the Potions Master snapped.

Remus stared at the black-robed man while Sirius started pacing around the room, his voice growing louder by the second. "How's that possible? That rat was supposed to go through the Veil next week! They _finally_ set the date a week ago! HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BEHIND BARS UNTIL THEN!"

"If I remember correctly he was – _and normally should still be_ - held in a high-security cell , guarded by Aurors, in the Ministry until his execution next week," Remus mused with a scowl. "So how _did_ he escape?!"

"DOES IT MATTER HOW?! HE'S ESCAPED!" Sirius roared.

"Quiet!" Nicolas suddenly snapped and at the old Alchemist's voice Sirius' mouth instantly snapped shut. "I need to concentrate if you don't want me to make any mistakes you'll be silent now! And concentrating with you yelling around like that is impossible!"

Sirius took a deep and shaky breath while looking at this still unconscious adoptive-daughter. He crossed his arms and flopped down on the nearest chair with a scowl on his face.

Mr. Greengrass who had been quiet through all the fuss, frowned slightly and mentioned Remus to give him the paper that was still tightly clutched in his hand.

Nicolas titled his head when he saw the Ministry Official reading the paper with his frown growing deeper and deeper. "Mr. Greengrass, the ritual will only take another half-an-hour and I can already tell you that it was a full success. So feel free to leave should you have other responsibilities."

The man looked up and gave a grim smile. "Very well. Even though I wish nothing more than to call it a day, I fear I'll have to make a short trip to the Ministry first to see if I am needed. This is the downside to working in two Departments. Sirius, old friend, don't let Pettigrew's escape cloud your judgement like last time. You've got two children to care for now."

Sirius clenched his teeth, but then nodded with a sigh and the Ministry official went over to the fireplace that was located in the corner of the room. He nodded to each of them and disappeared in a flash of green flames.

"I can't believe it..." Sirius murmured and his anger seemed to have been replaced by exhaustion. "I had hoped he finally gets what he deserves and now... _damn it all to hell! _Not only that, but Harry's _still_ not back!"

As if on cue, the door of the duelling room opened and Dumbledore entered with a seemingly unconscious Harry slung around his shoulders.

"HARRY!"

Sirius was up and at his side in an instant, while Remus – always the calmer one – transfigured two of the nearby wooden chairs into a comfortable armchair and a small sofa where Dumbledore put Harry down.

"What happened?" Sirius asked frantically and examined the Boy-Who-Lived's body for injuries. "Why isn't he awake? What took you so long?! What's wrong with his arm?!"

Dumbledore did not answer immediately and sat down on the chair Remus had conjured. Snape slowly strode over to them and exchanged a look with Dumbledore after taking one at Harry's arm. He nodded curtly and went over to the fireplace before disappearing.

"Dumbledore!" Sirius hissed rounding on the man. "I swear if you don't tell me what hap-"

"Sirius..." Harry suddenly murmured with a groan, shutting him up. "Not so loud... please! I'm awake... I... ugh... just got a headache, a singed arm and I'm tired as hell..."

"HARRY! You're awake! Merlin!"

_"Shut up!"_ and another groan was the response the animagus got from his new son and green eyes slowly blinked open and searched the room.

"How's Rosie?" was the first thing Harry asked when his eyes settled on the rune circle and the unmoving form of the little girl in the middle of it.

"She's doing fine, only fifteen more minutes and we can bring her up to her room." Nicolas replied and shortly looked up from the rune he was checking, narrowing his eyes at his arm and shaking his head with an exasperated sigh. he looked back down at his work "How are you feeling? Only you can manage to get injured with someone like Albus nearby."

Harry did not answer, but gave Nicolas a small smile when he looked up for another second, telling him all he needed to know.

"WELL?!" Sirius suddenly snapped loudly. "I'm waiting for an explanation!"

"I'd like to know what happened as well," Remus said with a frown on his face when he noted that Dumbledore had not come back entirely unscathed as well and that the old headmaster's robes were slightly torn.

"We managed to acquire another horcrux," Dumbledore finally answered, "but breaking the curse on it proved to be a little difficult. I allowed Harry to do it after-"

"You _what?!_" Sirius exclaimed with a glare. "How could you let him do something so dangerous?! It's Voldemort we're talking about here! If that's not a reason for not letting him near the damn horc-"

"Sirius!" Harry interrupted him and sat up with a small wince. The animagus reminded him strongly of Mrs Weasley at the moment. "Calm down! It was _my_ decision and a practically forced Professor Dumbledore to let me do it. I'm a parselmouth, in case you've forgotten and it appeared that I was right when suggesting the curse could only be broken with parseltongue!"

Sirius looked at him in disbelief and shook his head. "I can't believe it! I should ground you. Until you're out of Hogwarts... no, scratch that. I should ground you until you're _forty!_"

Remus put a calming hand on his friend's shoulder and looked at the headmaster. "What would've happened if the curse couldn't have been broken with parseltongue?"

Dumbledore looked at the werewolf over his half-moon spectacles. "If I had not been certain of this being the case after examining the curse, I certainly would _not_ have Harry try to break it. I would have done it on my own instead."

"Professor?" Harry asked with narrowed eyes – his uninjured hand massaging his temples in hope of getting rid of his headache. "If what happened to my arm was any indication..."

"I know, my boy," Dumbledore answered before he could finish. "But I believe the sacrifice of a limb would have been worth getting another horcrux."

"Are you kidding me?!"

Dumbledore merely shook his head and looked over to the fireplace when it flared green once more, announcing Snape's return. He strode over to them with his hands rummaging through his pockets in search for something.

"Here, Potter," he said, holding out a vial, "drink this. It will help to get rid of the headache you seem to have."

The potion-master's eyes roamed over his arm while Harry sniffed on the vial and gulped its content down with a grimace. With a flick of Snape's wand Harry's sleeve disappeared.

The man then took out a small tin and opened it. "Hold your arm up."

"Easier said then done..." Harry murmured with clenched teeth, but did as he was told.

With surprising gentleness, Snape applied a thick turquoise salve on his whole arm. Harry sighed at the cooling effect it had and looked at Sirius who had his arms crossed with a look on his face as if he had swallowed something very sour.

He did not know what to say to the animagus at the moment. He felt a little uncomfortable. He was not used to adults fussing over him like his new father apparently did and decided it was best to wait for him to start talking again.

His eyes turned back to Snape when the man shook his head and looked at Dumbledore. "It's a good thing the curse really was broken by parseltongue. I know several dark curses and only some of them cause this kind of damage after being successfully broken."

"Care to elaborate?" Remus asked curiously and looked at Harry's arm with worry. "What would have happened if..." he gulped, "if the curse had struck?"

Snape finished applying the salve and put the tin back into his robes. "As it is now, the damage will disappear completely within the next few days. It's a normal injury, nothing more. Otherwise... I would have given him a year at most."

"I still can't believe this..." Sirius growled and started pacing once more before suddenly pulling one of the un-transfigured wooden chairs over and sitting down in front of Harry. "I... damn! I know that I don't really have the right to tell you to keep your nose out of this war - you've more than earned the right to fight over the last years, but... don't do something like that again, okay pup?"

Surprised at Sirius's sudden show of understanding and support, Harry gave him a smile. "No promises there, Padfoot."

With a sigh, Sirius nodded and looked over at his adoptive-daughter when the runes around her stopped glowing and Nicolas straightened himself from his crouch in front of the circle.

"Well, that's surprising."

Sirius blinked. "Huh?"

Nicolas smiled and went into the middle of the slowly disappearing circle. "A feisty little witch we have here. I didn't expect her to wake up after the ritual is finished."

And indeed, Rose blinked shortly afterwards and Nicolas gently helped her to her feet. Harry looked at her and was amazed by what he saw.

Her soft dark-brown curls had turned into the traditional midnight-black nearly every member of the main-line of the Black family had and had straightened so that they reached her mid-back now. Her formerly light-brown eyes had turned silvery-grey, the exact same colour as Sirius's. Rose's petite face had not changed much but if he looked closer Harry could see her cheekbones were now slightly higher than before, adding to her resemblance to the dog-animagus.

She blinked once more and gave a small yawn, before a brilliant smile appeared on her face when her eyes spotted Sirius.

Harry observed with amusement as the man stepped forward with an astonished look on his face and - as cheesy as it might sound – it warmed his heart heart when he saw the glow of happiness and love in the animagus's eyes.

"Rose, you look stunning," Harry said warmly when Sirius enveloped her in a tight hug – unable to form words.

She moved her head so she could look past Sirius and her eyes lit up. "Harry! You're here! I thought..."

She stopped and closed her mouth when she saw his torn clothing and his damaged arm. Harry was sure she also noticed the sheen of sweat he felt on his face.

Rose looked up at Sirius, who nodded softly and she ran over to him. "What happened? Are you okay? You look terrible!"

Cerefully sitting down next to him, the girl looked at his arm once more.

Harry caressed her cheek reassuringly. "It's nothing to worry about, Rosie. It was just a little accident on my trip with Professor Dumbledore."

He looked over to the headmaster who had started to quietly converse with Snape.

The old wizard stopped his conversation and also smiled at Rose while getting to his feet. "I'm sorry to not have taken better care of your new brother, young Rose. Can you forgive this old man?"

The girl giggled softly and nodded. "Of course, Headmaster. If what Hermione told me is true, then I've got myself an older brother with no sense of self-preservation. I believe it's not your fault he's injured."

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed while everyone started laughing (or in Snape's case, smirking). He stared at her in disbelief and poked her sides which only caused her to giggle more. "I resent that!" More quietly he added: "What has Hermione been telling you, you little devil...?"

"Well, I think you both need a good night's rest," Nicolas interrupted their small tickling-war and finally came over to them. "You can discuss everything else tomorrow."

"I agree with him," Sirius said and held his hand out for Rose to take. "Moony, can you make sure Harry gets to his room while I go with Rose?"

"I can go to my room by myself..." Harry grumbled with a playful glare.

He stood up and had to grab the armrest of the sofa for support when a wave of dizziness hit him and he hissed slightly when the headache that had shortly disappeared came back.

Sirius gave him a smile despite the apparent worry in his eyes and shook his head. "I don't think climbing the stairs by yourself is such a good idea."

He went over to the door and when he turned around once more, he looked – and sounded - every bit like the Lord of a pureblooded family should. "Headmaster... I would appreciate if you could stay for a little while longer despite the late hour. I want to talk to you about a certain _rat _when I return. However, feel free to move up to the living-room."

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**Hey, I hope you liked the chapter! Leave me a Review and tell me what you think!  
**

**Shadow Phoenix of Slytherin**


	3. Conversations

**Hello everyone!**

**I'm so terribly sorry for taking so awfully long to update! I hope you can forgive me.**

**My laptop crashed and was beyond help… everything I had written for chapter at that point was gone and that really killed my motivation.**

**As a student it took me ages to be able to afford a new one. Add the fact that I didn't have internet for five months (it was horrible!)**

**I also like to point out, that this chapter isn't beta-ed so there are probably some really dumb mistakes in it.**

**However, enjoy and don't forget to review!**

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**Chapter 3**

Sirius slowly walked down the stairs with the feeling as if his head had remained up in Rose's room. He was happy – utterly so - that Rose had accepted him as her father so quickly, but he was also feeling very nostalgic.

Nostalgic because that simple word had shown him what could have been normal all along if Voldemort, his Death Eaters and _Pettigrew_ had not destroyed so many lives all these years ago.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he shook his head and slowly walked over to the door leading into the kitchen where he could hear Remus' slightly aggravated voice. He must already have started to question Dumbledore. His eyes, however, remained fixed on a spot in the shadows behind one of the Greek columns decorating the hall – or rather the person standing there.

"The house is under the Fidelius... how did you get in?" he asked without bothering to take out his wand.

A tall and pale man with very angular, even feminine features stepped out of the shadows and gave him a loop-sided grin. „Sirius, you know that I received the power to see through any kind of wards with my turning... are you growing old?"

Sirius snorted and buried his hands in his pockets. "I'm surely not getting any younger as time goes by."

The man continued to grin and while Sirius waited for him to say something else he took a deep breath. His nostrils flared slightly his eyes roamed around the hall. "I smell your blood... not fresh, but the scent is still noticeably lingering in the air... have you been injured?"

Sirius took his hands out of his pockets and looked at his right pinky-finger where they had made a small cut to get some blood that was needed for the blood-adoption ritual. "Um..." he held his finger up, "if you call that an injury, then yes."

The man blew a strand of dark red hair out of his face with a chuckle and elegantly strode towards the animagus. He stopped at arms-length and Sirius noticed him looking up the stairs. "But Harry has been injured, am I right? Burnt flesh... ouch! What has that boy been up to?"

Sirius eyed the man carefully. "Selwyn, what are you doing here? Surely you didn't come just to see how everyone's doing... that's unlike you."

Alexiel Selwyn grinned once more and tilted his head to the side. "I had hoped to talk to Harry, but I guess that'll have to wait until he's up again."

"Why your sudden loyalty?" Sirius asked with narrowed eyes. "What the hell's Harry paying you that you still work for him? You don't do things for free."

"Ahh..." sighed Selwyn, "I guess the kid's grown on me. The month up in the mountains after I saved him from a bunch of Newborns last year made me feel like I had a little brother."

"One of these days he has to tell me everything he did while traveling with the time-turner..." Sirius mumbled to himself and then smiled slightly. "Yeah, he can do that to people. I still haven't gotten an answer. How much's he paying you?"

Selwyn shrugged. "Nothing. I haven't really worked for him since last Christmas. I've been doing some things on my own for a while."

"No one has asked for your services since then?"

Selwyn made a face. "Quite a few have, actually. Rookwood wanted me to spy on Malfoy for him and vice-verse, assassination-requests from Jugson and Goyle... the list goes on and on. However, you know that I don't concern myself with such things. I don't want to take part in their political squabbles."

"That's Demetri's job, isn't it?" Sirius replied amused and received a satisfied nod.

Before Sirius could say anything else, Selwyn took a small flask with red liquid out of his pocket and with a grin took a large gulp out of it. „I don't want to intrude, but do you have a free bed somewhere? Despite popular belief vampires need to sleep once in a while and I've been up for a week."

Sirius scrunched up his nose in distaste while his eyes followed the flask that disappeared once more and then nodded. "Upstairs, the third door on the right."

The vampire nodded his thanks and with swift movements walked up the stairs. Sirius slowly continued his way towards the living-room door, but stopped when an idea hit him.

"Selwyn?" he called quietly and the vampire stopped to turn around. "If you're currently unemployed... how about doing some research for me?"

A grin once more crept on the elegant features. "If the payment is accurate."

"Of course," grumbled Sirius and Selwyn disappeared around the corner.

When the vampire had vanished, Sirius turned his attention to the door of the living-room. He could hear Dumbledore's placating voice now and tiredly shook his head.

With five quick strides he was at the door and threw it open. "Okay, first I want to know what the hell you were thinking by taking Harry with you and then why Pettigrew is no longer in a holding-cell!"

"Sirius," Dumbledore said. He had not even flinched. "First you have to unders-"

"Save your long-winded speeches! I only want facts! NOW!" Sirius bellowed and kicked the door shut with his feet. "Pettigrew was supposed to rot in his cell until his execution next week! If you've forgotten it already: We've been invited to watch him go through the veil as witnesses!"

"Sirius," Dumbledore said a little more firmly this time. "I understand your anger and I'm sorry that you had to read about his escape in the paper instead of hearing it from me but I've only acquired this piece of news shortly before leaving with Harry."

With a small huff Sirius turned his glare to the unmoving Severus Snape who was standing near the fireplace. "Why didn't you just tell all of us about it the moment you arrived and dripped blood on my floor?! Aren't we so beneath you that you can't lower yourself to talk to us directly, Snivellus?"

"Stop it, Sirius," Remus suddenly interjected softly and placed a calming hand on his friend's shoulder. "Severus was severely injured when he arrived here. It's understandable that he first had to take care of his wounds. Or would you've wanted Rose to see the full extent of Voldemort's bad temper should she have come down once more?"

"Leave Rose out of it..." Sirius growled and shook his friend's hand away with annoyance before turning back to Dumbledore. "Y'know... sometimes I just get the feeling Snape and you plan things behind our backs and we're just pieces in your grand game of chess."

"You're being foolish, as usual," Snape sneered and wanted to grab some floo-powder. He, however, was stopped by Dumbledore who merely made the powder vanish with a wave of his hand.

"It was not my – or Severus' – intention to give you that impression, Sirius," assured Dumbledore with a slightly hard edge in his voice.

"I can't help feeling as if you're using all of us, though!" Sirius spat, angry with everything and everyone at the moment. "It's as if you just give us enough information to make us believe we've decided what to do on our own, no matter if one of us dies!"

An uncomfortable silence enveloped the room and Sirius slowly looked up at Dumbledore who was staring intently back at him as if waiting for him to say what was really bothering him. With a little guilt that just managed to fuel his already boiling anger, Sirius realized that it was really something else entirely that was bothering him. It wasn't really Pettigrew's escape... it was something that had happened long ago and the whole situation they were currently in.

"Were... were Lily and James only a part of the plan to kill Voldemort?" Sirius asked softly. "Were their deaths planned so that Harry could be marked by Voldemort as his equal?"

Now even Snape had turned back around to stare at him and Remus was slowly looking back and forth between him and Dumbledore. The aged headmaster had not moved a muscle and Sirius inhaled sharply while gathering the courage to continue talking.

"And Harry? Is he merely your ultimate weapon? Your means to an end? He could've died today while getting the horcrux and it seems like it doesn't bother you at all! Albus, dammit! I want answers! I haven't spent twelve years in Azkaban just to see the people I care about being controlled and sacrificed for the 'greater good'!"

"Make no mistake, Sirius," said Dumbledore finally and this time a hint of anger could be heard in his voice as well. "You're angry, worried, exhausted and the list goes on and on... but never – I repeat: _Never_ accuse me of using all of you!"

Sirius said nothing and balled his hands into fists while staring at a spot on the wall behind the headmaster when said wizard continued: "I sent Lily, James and Harry into hiding after I've heard the prophecy to protect them – just like I did with the Longbottoms at that time. The prophecy was the only thing that warned us about the danger those two small families were in and despite the whole Orders' – including yours and my - efforts to protect them, Lily and James died and shortly afterwards Alice and Frank were tortured into insanity."

Dumbledore took some steps towards Sirius, who sighed tiredly and slowly looked the man he had insulted in the eyes. "Tell me Sirius, how could I have planned to end and destroy the lives of so many and now still stand here as if nothing had happened?"

"I..."

The headmaster did not wait for Sirius to find the right words. "And when it comes to Harry... he is essential in Voldemort's defeat but by no means a weapon. Voldemort may have marked him and is fixated on destroying him, but he only became _essential_ after he decided to fight against Voldemort – just like his friends. As much as it pains me to see all of them grow up so quickly – they will have to fight in the coming war just like the rest of the Order, just like the rest of wizardring Britain."

"That still doesn't explain why you just go off and do Voldemort a favour by nearly killing Harry on a horcrux-hunt!"

Remus shook his head and tried to steer Sirius over to one of the armchairs so that he could calm down. "Stop it, Sirius. It's getting ridiculous. I admit I had to vent out my frustration about today as well, but don't go so far as to throw words in the room you don't mean."

"It's okay, Remus," reassured Dumbledore with a small wave of his hand and he sat down on one of the chairs not too far away from Sirius as well. "I should've seen this coming. As much as I promised Harry to tell him everything that's important, I've neglected to inform _you_ – his guardian - about it. And for why I've let Harry try to break the curse on the ring: He is a powerful wizard and a parselmouth just like Voldemort. His explanation of why a parselmouth could probably break the curse seemed logical."

"Well... I... okay, fair enough..." Sirius murmured and let his head rest on his arms. "M'sorry... I shouldn't have flown off the handle like that... it's just..."

"You're worried," Dumbledore ended the sentence for him and rose to his feet even though he had only sat for a short while. "Just like we all are."

The headmaster looked at Snape, who was still standing near the fireplace with a disgruntled look on his face and then back at Sirius.

"Sirius, if you would do me one favour despite all the mistakes I've made, I would be very grateful."

With all the anger now gone from his system and a gnawing sense of guilt and tiredness remaining, Sirius simply raised his head and gave a small nod.

"Please accommodate Professor Snape for an indefinite amount of time. I fear it's too dangerous for him to walk around freely as long as he is still injured."

That got the potions-master's attention. "WHAT?! Albus, no! I refuse to stay in the presence of such... individuals any longer!"

"Same here!" Sirius bellowed appalled. "Snivellus will not stay in my house for longer than necessary!"

"We still have four guest-bedrooms unoccupied..." remarked Remus and earned two glares for that. "And I agree that it's safer for the moment."

Dumbledore clapped his hands. "Very good! Then I shall take my leave now. And Sirius... I'd like to talk to you tomorrow once more when we all are a little more rested. Is four o'clock acceptable?"

"Y-yeah... sure," grumbled Sirius and simply pointed at the door when Snape reluctantly and spitefully asked which room he could go to.

When Dumbledore had left through the fireplace and Snape had stalked out of the room with a scowl on his face, Sirius sighed quietly and drove a hand through his hair – absentmindedly noticing that he really needed to cut it a little bit.

"Are you okay Sirius?" Remus asked quietly and eyed his friend with worry. "Don't you think it was a bit much to accuse Dumbledore of using us?"

Sirius scoffed a little. "Remus, I know that it's not true, I know that Dumbledore's doing his best to try and stop Voldemort, but I simply couldn't help it. I am just so angry that the children have to fight in a war they are much too young for!"

Remus sat down in front of him and shook his head. "Sirius, aren't we all?

"Yeah... but why's it always Harry? First the graveyard at the end of his fourth year and then this year the Ministry-disaster and the Horcrux today... I don't want to lose him. He... he's the closest thing to a son I have."

"You know Harry," Remus said and repressed a yawn before continuing: "It's impossible for him to stay on the side-lines and watch how we handle it. And with Harry continuing to fight Voldemort and his Death Eaters, his friends will make sure he doesn't do it alone."

Sirius nodded, stood up and gave the werewolf a loop-sided smile. "I guess I just need to get a good night's rest... I've been up close to twenty-four hours and it seems to make me more crazy than usual."

"Sure, if you really think that," Remus chuckled, "I personally think you're always crazy."

"Shut up, Mooney!" Sirius huffed and left the room.

"Yeah, yeah, good night to you too!"

**...HPHPHP...**

Harry woke up with a groan and blearily looked out of the window. He nearly cursed when he saw that it was still raining and wondered if the sun would ever manage to show itself this summer. Throwing his covers away he hissed in pain and looked down at his burning left arm. The bandages he had wrapped around it had loosened slightly and he grimaced when he got a good look at the raw skin underneath it.

A soft knock on the door startled him out of his musings and he yawned widely before answering: "Come in!"

He was surprised when he saw that it was neither Sirius or Remus, nor Rose who entered but Professor Snape. Said Professor was carrying a small crate in his hands and had a black-leather bag slung around his shoulders.

"Ah, you're finally awake, Potter," he greeted in his usual silky voice and placed the crate on the table next to the fireplace and the bag on one of the armchairs.

"Uh, good morning Professor," greeted Harry slowly and sat up.

"Good afternoon more likely," Snape replied with a smirk that disappeared moments later. "However, it doesn't surprise me that your sense of time is a little off. You've slept for nearly forty hours."

Harry's eyes widened and he spluttered slightly. "I- I did what?!"

Snape simply started to put some things out of his bag and on the table while Harry struggled to get to his feet and become fully awake. He quietly observed the professor when he took out small vials of the crate he had brought and then mixed together the potions they contained in a small cup.

After a little while the Professor turned to him. "It is a normal reaction to the curse. Your body needed all its resources to fight it and a nearly comatose sleep was the best way to get the desired results."

"Alright. Uh... Professor?" asked Harry when he had finally managed to walk over to the armchairs and flopped down on one of them. "I don't mean to be rude, but what are you still doing here if I was asleep such a long time?"

Harry saw Snape grimace for a second before he schooled his face into a carefully controlled mask of indifference. "Professor Dumbledore believes it to be safer if I don't continue my activities as a spy for the time being."

"Because of Voldemort's attack on you?" Harry guessed when Snape motioned for him to place his left hand on the table.

The professor did not answer this time but slightly inclined his head in agreement while unwrapping the bandages from his arm with surprising gentleness. When he had finished, Harry grimaced once more as he saw the full extent of the injury he had received from the curse on the horcrux.

His arm - up to his elbow - was covered in burns going from slightly red to nearly black with only some areas of healthy skin visible in between. The remnants of the ointment Snape had applied shortly after Dumbledore and Harry had returned from retrieving the ring did not make it look any less ugly.

"It seems to be healing well," Snape said casually and raised his wand over the marred skin. "

Harry inhaled sharply when the rest of the ointment disappeared with a flick of the man's wand and shortly clenched his eyes shut. When he opened them once more, Snape was already applying the mix he had created in the small cup. Harry simply watched him in silence. Even though he had slept for as long as he did, he felt as if he could continue doing so in an instant.

"I assume a doorknob would be able to heed my advice better, however, please refrain from straining your arm for the next days," Snape said after the cup was empty.

He placed the vials back into the small case on the desk and with another flick of his wand new bandages appeared around Harry's arm and hand. "The burn-like marks are in fact signs for dead cells. These destroyed cells need to regenerate first."

"And magic really can't do a thing to make it heal faster?" wanted Harry to know doubtfully.

"Magic _can_ help," admitted Snape and gave him a look he really did not like. "But only your own. This is also why you are forbidden from using magic until I deem it safe to do so. Your magic will have enough work in fighting the parasitic curse without being used for other things."

Harry opened his mouth to protest and then lowered his head. "You're serious, aren't you, Sir? What would happen if I used magic?"

Snape rose to his feet and rolled his eyes. "It's hard to say, but the curse would probably continue spreading until it reached your vital organs and you'd die."

"So... I didn't really break it after all?" Harry frowned down at his now once more bandaged arm.

A nod. "Yes. It seems you merely lessened its effects to a level on which it's not deadly when treated right. Those marks are, in fact, not burns but dead cells..." Snape looked him right in the eyes then. "Potter, as much as I'd like to be left alone in the mutt's house, come to see me if something is wrong."

"Will do... thanks Professor... I appreciate your help..." murmured Harry half-heartedly and looked down at the bandages on his arm and carefully moved his nearly completely bandaged fingers. It looked like he was wearing a white fingerless-glove.

"And Professor?" he asked once Snape had reached the door. "Would you mind not telling Sirius that I'm awake yet? I don't think I can deal with his fussing right now..."

A small smirk formed on the man's face. "Oh, don't worry Potter; I don't plan on talking to the mutt more than absolutely necessary."

Harry chuckled when the man left the room with his trademark billowing robes.

After the door had clicked shut took a quick look on the clock near the door and scratched his cheek. It was four o'clock in the afternoon... and he had originally planned on practicing some curses he had read about before going with Dumbledore... but that was definitely out of the question now.

"The library it is then..." he mumbled and got to his feet. He smirked slightly when he thought about what Hermione would say if she knew that he had spent nearly all of his holidays with reading so far.

**...HPHPHP...**

Snape walked down the corridor to the guest-bedroom he currently occupied and silently wondered how Lily's son could not manage to stay uninjured for a prolonged period of time. He shook his head. The boy, he grudgingly had to admit had - despite looking remarkably like his father - slowly earned a bit of his respect - if only a little.

He placed the leather-bag on the desk in the corner and slowly proceeded to get out of his black robe to get a closer look at his own not fully healed injuries from two nights before.

He tended to them with practiced movements and after not even ten minutes was fully clothed once more and leaving his room once more. Due to the Fidelius he was safe here, but he had no way of brewing the potions he wanted to, like he had in Hogwarts. Although the lab in the basement of Black Manor was equipped good enough for an above-average brewer, it was not sufficient for a master.

So he decided that getting some books from the library and returning to his room afterwards was the best way to spend his time here. He had absolutely no desire to go down to the living room or the kitchen and listen to the mutt's and the wolf's senseless ramblings.

Snape was not even in the library for ten minutes and just looking at a very interesting potions-book when he heard the door open.

"Severus?" a female voice asked surprised. "What are you doing here at Headquarters?"

He slowly turned around to stare at the blond woman that had just entered. He gave her a nod as greeting. "If I don't want Albus budging me, I am forced to stay here for a few days at least. I am surprised to see _you_ here, Narcissa. I was under the impression you were in Australia with Draco and would remain there for another week."

She felt herself growing fidgety when his eyes rested on her reddened nose and cheeks and averted her eyes when a small smirk played on the man's lips. "I presume your sunburn is not the reason for your early return?"

"Not really..." she replied and coughed to regain her slightly lost composure. "Sirius informed us about Harry's injury and that he and Dumbledore have found another horcrux."

"Has he now..." Snape mumbled and rolled his eyes.

Narcissa smiled and shook her head in slight amusement when Snape turned back around to continue looking at the books. "When are you finally going to bury that childish feud?"

She was not surprised when she got no answer in return and crossed her arms. Eying the Potions Master carefully while he moved around the library (occasionally waving his wand and levitating a book over to the growing pile on the table) her smile turned into a worried frown.

"You, too, have been injured, haven't you?" She asked softly. "When? Was it yesterday as well?"

The slight tensing of the man's shoulders told her everything she needed to know. The man slowly turned around. "What gave you this impression?"

The blond witch's eyes flashed angrily and she put her hands on her hips "Don't try to fool me, Severus. You move very carefully and are favouring your right shoulder."

"It's nothing to concern yourself over." Snape drawled and wanted to turn back around.

'Oh no, you don't!' Narcissa thought. With quick strides she was behind him, grabbed his shoulder and then forced him to look at her. The man grunted in pain and when she got a look at his face once more she saw that he gritted his teeth.

"Nothing, huh?" the woman repeated drily and raised an eyebrow like any typical Slytherin would do. "Severus... was it the Dark Lord? Did he do this to you?"

"Narcissa, you know that as a spy the information-"

"Oh, save it Severus! I _am_ part of the Order so I have I right to know what happens. However, this is irrelevant in this case. Please tell me... how bad was it? Just the shoulder or more?"

Snape shrugged. "Albus with the help of Potter did a pretty good job in healing the injuries last night. But as good as he may be, Albus is no Healer and Potter is more versed in offensive magic than any other subject. It is just normal that without professional help they will take longer to heal."

"You didn't answer my question, Severus. _How bad was it?"_

The two locked eyes and anybody who would have seen them would have noticed a strong battle of wills taking place, until Snape finally averted his eyes and sighed quietly while putting his wand into one of the pockets in his black robes.

"Three fractured rips - one of them splintered into pieces, a dislocated right shoulder, injuries due to several cutting-curses and... post-cruciatus effects and magical exhaustion."

Narcissa's eyes had widened with every monotonously spoken word the man had uttered and she slowly placed a hand on the black-robed chest as if to test if his heart was still beating and he was really standing in front of her. "Merlin... why did...? Has something happened to make the Dark Lord angry?"

"Narcissa, you know-"

"Tell me!" she insisted stubbornly.

Snape sighed and nodded. "I could not tell him the new location of the Order Headquarters - or Potter's location. I told him it was under the Fidelius tough, which makes it impossible to reveal the address to him. Let's say he was... displeased," the Potions Master murmured softly and looked down at the hand on his chest.

"Do you know what I don't understand?" Narcissa asked after a short silence in which she felt her hands trembling. She gave Snape another piercing look. "Why do you continue to go there again and again when everything that's waiting for you is torture and death?"

Snape chuckled mirthlessly. "Narcissa, the Order needs the information or the Dark Lord will never fall. What's one life in exchange for many others?"

_'SLAP!'_

The ugly sound resonated through the whole room, accompanied by an angry huff.

"You have to stop acting as if your life doesn't matter Severus!" Narcissa growled with her hand still in the air. "I don't care whether you get any information on attacks as long as you come back alive!"

The stunned Potions Master whose head had snapped to the side with the blond woman's slap, carefully tested with is tongue if he could taste blood in his mouth and then looked back at her. "Narcissa..."

"Are you sure it's not just your desperate need for forgiveness?" Narcissa whispered in a slightly chocked voice and Snape reeled back as if bitten by a Snake. "Severus... Sev, I know you've loved Lily Evans even after you called her a mudblood, even after she had started dating James Potter - and you didn't stop to love her after she had married him either! I also know that you told the Dark Lord about the prophecy after you heard it. That's also why I know you blame yourself for Lily's death!"

"I..." Snape seemed to be at a loss for words - a very unusual situation for the man.

"Please tell me... don't you think that you're already forgiven? Don't you think you've done enough to have earned her forgiveness long ago?" she continued and her fingers tightly clutched his robes. "I didn't know Lily that well, but I definitely know that her son must've meant the world to her - just like it does to every mother."

She once more forced the man to look at her by yanking on his robes. "Weren't you the one who saved Harry from Quirrell when he tried to curse his broom? Didn't you step in front of a werewolf in his third year to protect him and his friends? Haven't you used your spare-time throughout the year to teach him how to resist the effects of dragon-blood?"

She let her head fall on his chest and shook her head while taking deep breaths to calm herself. "I've known you since we started Hogwarts and I've already lost enough people to the Dark Lord - be it by death or by them becoming Death Eaters. Please Severus! You can't expect me to just stand back and watch how you are at the Dark Lord's mercy whenever he summons you!"

Snape seemed to have snapped out of his stunned reverie and grabbed the ex-Malfoy's shoulder to make her look at him. "Narcissa, stop it! This has nothing to do with what you just said! I am as careful as I can be. As long as I don't get exposed my life is safe. As his only spy directly under Dumbledore's nose I am too valuable for the Dark Lord to dispose of."

She continued taking deep breaths and then blinked before hastily stepping away from Snape and turning his back on him. "Sorry..."

"This is unlike you, Narcissa. Please restrain yourself next time," Snape said, but there was no malice behind his words. "Has something happened in Australia to make you act this way?"

Her head snapped back around and she gave him a small glare. "No. You know what makes me act this way? I can be myself after years under Lucius reign! It's been a year since our divorce, Severus! If you haven't noticed that I acted differently when I was married to him, then I am terribly sorry!"

"I understand." Snape merely said.

He did not apologize in words, but when Narcissa caught his eyes, she saw that he had not meant to make her angry. Her eyes once more fell on his right shoulder.

Narcissa sighed. "You're impossible... but to get back to the matter at hand: Severus, at least promise me to let me help you when you've been injured and Madame Pomfrey is not available. You know that I helped in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts since my third year until I got married off to Lucius."

"...Very well. I will inform you if I am in need of your assistance after a meeting," Snape replied and his mask of indifference once more was firmly in place.

Narcissa nodded and crossed her arms - with her own much smaller mask returning as well. Without looking at him she said: "Then be down in the kitchen in five minutes sharp! I will see what I can do about your remaining wounds."

With that she left.

**...HPHPHP...**

Harry blinked slightly surprised and slowly put the book about different kinds of magical rituals back on the shelf he was currently standing in front of. He was honestly glad that, even though the library was a circular room, the shelves were arranged in rows. He did not think he was meant to have heard the conversation the two adults had just had and was very happy that they had not noticed him.

He carefully peeked around the shelf and saw Snape disappear through the door before taking a deep breath.

He shook his head and stepped out of his temporary hideout. "Bloody hell! What in Merlin's name was that just now?"

When he waved his hand some books he had looked at earlier came flying over to him and he caught them - only to drop them to the ground with a hiss when a very painful jolt shot through his whole arm.

The door he had been looking at suddenly got blurry and he heavily leaned against the nearest shelf to steady himself. "Damn! And that now when the pain had stopped for a moment..."

He looked down at his bandaged arm and carefully tried to move it. It was then he realized that the most painful thing was moving his fingers. He sighed when the pain dulled to only a mild throbbing and bent down to pick up the fallen books. Mildly annoyed he finally put them on the shelf and grabbed four others to take to his room.

He hesitated in front of a fifth book and carefully considered if he was able to carry them without shrinking them. Snape - and of course Sirius after he knew why - had basically ordered him not to use magic while his arm was still healing after all. He shrugged and took the fifth book as well.

He tried to adjust them and managed to open the door. However, he nearly lost two books while closing it. With a small scowl he trotted back to his room and flopped down on one of the armchairs near the window. Hedwig, who had been dozing off in her cage looked up. She flew over to him and positioned herself on the back of his chair. The snowy-owl playfully nipped on his ear and he stroked her soft feathers with his uninjured hand.

He had just grabbed one of the books and wanted to open it, when the door to his room suddenly burst open.

"YOU INSUFFERABLE IDIOT! What in Merlin's name were you thinking?!"

Harry jumped a little startled and managed to grab the book just in time before it fell down on the floor. With a slight wince at the small jolt of pain in his arm, he looked over to his mistreated door and raised an eyebrow with an exasperated sigh.

"Well, welcome back," he drawled, unfazed by the glare the platinum-blond wizard that stood there gave him. Draco Black was unusually tanned which made his already bright hair appear even brighter. A snarl was on his face and his hand was twitching slightly as if he wanted to grab his wand.

"Cut the crap! Have you lost your mind?"

„Dray... I'm _so_ not in the mood for your bitching," Harry simply said and looked back down to the book in his hands.

„I Am Not Bitching!" the blond growled and with some quick strides he was in front of him and slammed his hands on the desk. „I'm pissed off that you nearly got yourself killed! A_gain!_"

„Isn't that great? I even manage to piss you off when you're on the other end of the planet!"

„SHUT IT, POTTER!"

Harry squeezed his eyes shut when his ears started to ring at the loud yell and massaged his temples. „Draco... a little less loud, please?"

The blond glared at him and a few seconds later sat down in front of him with a sigh. „D'you have any idea how freaked-out my mother was when Sirius told us yesterday that you've been injured while looking for a horcrux?"

„You just returned because of that?" Harry asked surprised and Draco grimaced.

„No... mother's got a nasty sunburn despite all the protection-spells and this morning Nick suddenly took off to Merlin-knows-where while Penny has had her head buried in books for the last two days. And even so at the moment it's winter in Australia... if you can call it that."

„It's winter there and you mother still got a sunburn?" chuckled Harry.

Draco nodded and eyed the books cluttered on the table with raised eyebrows. „"Just look at me, even when it's summer here at home, I haven't ever managed to get a tan like that – and I'm glad for that! I look absolutely stupid. And to be honest... being on holiday while Voldemort's causing havoc here is not a nice feeling..."

Harry threw a look at the door when Rose's head appeared behind the door-frame. She gave his room a curious once-over and smiled brightly when she saw that he was awake. "Harry! And Draco, you're back, too!"

"Rosie, I'm sorry but not now, okay?" Harry said hurriedly when she wanted to enter.

She pouted slightly. "But Harry! You've been asleep for nearly two days! And I haven't seen Draco since school ended! At least let me stay for five minutes! I've got so much to-"

"Hey Rose, you can have Harry for yourself when I go to unpack my stuff, alright?" Draco interjected with a smile. "After that I'll tell you something about my trip to Australia. I even have a surprise for you."

"Really?!" she asked and her pout disappeared. "Well, then I leave you two to continue talking about things I'm not allowed to know... don't do anything rash, okay?"

"Err... sure, thanks," Draco replied a little baffled.

She smiled and with that left the room and closed the door.

"I have to make sure she doesn't hang out as much with Hermione anymore..." Harry remarked drily when he was sure that Rose had really left.

"That girl..." mumbled the blond and shook his head. "She's much too smart for her own good. I wonder why she never showed how smart she is before her parents died. By the way, I guess the blood-adoption was a success then? She looks much more like a Black now... if I didn't know any better, I would say she really was Sirius's daughter."

Harry nodded and smiled softly. "Yeah, and from what I gathered just after the ritual, she's damn proud of that as well."

Draco's face suddenly turned serious once more. "So... you've been asleep for nearly two days? That explains why the mutt was slightly freaked-out when he called us yesterday evening."

He waved his hand when Harry opened his mouth to reply. "Don't bother telling me what happened, I already know. I only want to know one thing: How the hell did you talk Dumbledore into letting you break the curse?"

Giving it up as a lost case for the moment, Harry put the book in his hands back down on the table before answering. "One word: Parselmouth. It was the most logical approach to breaking one of Voldemort's curses after Dumbledore was unable to do so. And it worked."

The blond threw a pointed look at his bandaged arm. "A mangled arm is a sign of success, or what? Are you sure that you really were able to break the curse?"

"Yes, Draco. If you want a detailed explanation on what exactly's wrong with my arm, go to Snape," he answered tiredly. "However, I'm not so much worried about the curse as about the fact, that we've got two horcruxes and no idea how to destroy them!"

"I guess that's why your table is laden with books on dark rituals?"

"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock..." Harry mumbled and rolled his eyes at the questioning look the blond gave him at the muggle-expression.

"Well, Hermione would be proud," Draco smirked and promptly grabbed one of the books. "If she leaves you alive, that is. I don't want to know how she'll react when she gets here next weekend and your arm is covered in bandages."

Harry didn't even bother to reply. He already knew that Hermione was going to freak out about his injury. His head slowly turned to the window and a sigh escaped his lips. "Hey Dray?"

"Mh?"

"Weren't you planning on unpacking your stuff now?"

Draco grimaced. "My stuff is down in the kitchen... we didn't shrink it before coming here. Flipsy, Nick and Penny's house-elf, brought everything here but before she could get the stuff to our rooms, Perenelle called her back."

"And what's your problem?"

"Mother is down there with Severus and from what I've seen, she's patching up some injuries he has. She's angry at him for some reason and Sev was not very happy either. I'd rather wait before they've cooled down. I really don't want to get snapped at from two sides."

"Oh."

"And now, let me help you with trying to find a way to destroy those blasted soul-fragments of Tommy."

With that, Harry also grabbed a book and started reading.

* * *

**Please tell me what you think. I know it isn't much for such a long wait but I'm still trying to get back into the story as well.**

**Shadow Phoenix of Slytherin**


	4. Making up one's Mind

**Hi everyone!**

**Once more I'm sorry for the long delay. I have no excuse this time safe for the fact that I seriously had to think about how exactly to continue this story. I was a little angry at my muse for leaving me alone for so long. :-P**

**I have not really managed to plan any further than this chapter, though... Anyway, I'm already on the next chapter and try to update as soon as possible. **

**But please bear with me. **

**My final written exams for becoming a Foreign Language Secretary start in two weeks and it'll take until the beginning of July until the oral exams in English and France are finished as well. I try to update before going on holiday with friends at the end of July, though. Add to that, that at the moment, I'm busy working my ass off in my spare time to get a little money and that I'm flat-hunting as I'll go to University in September and you see that I've got busy weeks ahead of me.**

_**Note that this chapter is not beta-ed! (If any of my old betas reads this, if you're still up for it, please send me a PM. I have a new mail adress. If not, anybody there who wants to be my new beta?)**_

**Well then, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"Well, I didn't take you for the studious type."

Harry and Draco, who had been looking through the books on dark magic in hopes of finding a way of destroying horcruxes for the last half-an hour, both looked up and towards the door.

Harry stood up and whereas Draco had no clue who the person was. The black-haired wizard was surprised to see the pale, red-haired man leaning against the open door of his room.

"Selwyn!" Harry said and had to duck when Hedwig flew over his head to get back to her perch. "What're you doing here?"

The vampire remained silent for a short moment while eying the bandages on Harry's arm and then gave a small smirk. "I thought I just stop by. I haven't heard from you since Christmas, after all."

"Draco, this is Alexiel Selwyn a..." he hesitated. He wasn't really sure if he should tell Draco what exactly Selwyn was.

"I'm a spy, just like your godfather," Selwyn finished the sentence.

Draco's eyes narrowed slightly when he shook the vampire's hand. "Is that so? I didn't know the Order had another spy... it's a pleasure to meet you."

Selwyn eyed Draco for a moment and then grinned. "Yes... the pleasure's all mine. I've wanted to meet the former Malfoy scion for some time." Then his face turned serious. "It was a good decision to distance yourself from your father. It must've been a difficult decision to make."

Draco sneered. "That man's not my father! He forfeited that right by wanting me to bow down to a madman and by treating my mother like dirt under his shoes."

"Are you sure?" After a prolonged silence in which no one said anything, Selwyn nodded slowly. "You have to be careful, Mr. Black. The Dark Lord is out for your blood – not actively, mind you, but he has ordered his Death Eaters to kill you on sight. Your fa- Lucius Malfoy is obsessed with finding you when he is not ordered to do something else. He is rather... enthusiastic when it comes to disposing of traitors."

"How can I be a traitor if I was never even part of their damn club?!" said Draco loudly and threw his hands into the air in exasperation.

"You _were_ a Malfoy. That should answer your question."

"I've never asked to be one!" Draco snapped angrily and when he looked in his direction for a second or two, Harry could see the very well hidden hurt in his eyes. "It's not as if he was a loving father but to think he now wants to kill me..."

"Well, after all you seem to have done a pretty good job of being a perfect little pureblood-son until your time-turner jumping, eh?"

"Selwyn," Harry said quietly when Draco did not answer. "I think it's better if we two continue talking in private. Would you mind going to the guest-room? I'll join you shortly."

"Very well," answered the Vampire and with swift movements was out of the room.

Harry looked at Draco who had now turned his back on him and was looking out of the window into the rainy late afternoon sky. Harry sighed. The weather was simply not getting better...

The blond crossed his arms. "D'you think I could do it?"

"Draco..." Harry was not really sure what to say. He knew what the blond was talking about.

"At the fight in the Ministry... he was serious," Draco said quietly with his eyes still staring unfocused out and into the rain. "Four times he shot the killing-curse at me. At that time I just dodged and didn't think about it. But now... it had time to sink in and I don't know... I still don't know what I'll do next time. I don't know if I can fight him with the intent to kill... I can't look at him as if he's _just_ another Death Eater!"

Harry sighed and drove a hand through his hair. It seemed as if Draco was just talking to himself and had forgotten that he was even there.

"As much as I want to deny it... he sometimes treated me like a father would treat his son... even if he was just pretense..."

"Draco, you've just told Selwyn yourself!" Harry said seriously with a hint of exasperation in his voice. "I don't know Lucius like you do but I know how he treated your mother. I saw it the first days in France Manor last year, remember? Add the fact that I've seen him when he's running errands for Voldy and- ugh!"

He stopped with an angry huff and took a small breath to calm down.

"He may've fathered you but he tried – is trying - to kill you, your mother and everyone else around you! Before that he tried to make a Death Eater out of you! For Merlin's sake that's _not_ what a father's supposed to do!"

Draco turned around and gave him a cold look. "And you would know that _how?_"

Harry stared at him unblinking while what the blond said processed in his head.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Harry nearly shouted then. "Are you really trying to blame the fact that you don't want to believe me – believe yourself - on me being an orphan?"

The blond did not answer and Harry clenched his teeth in anger. "Draco, that man wanted – no_ wants _– to kill you because you're not kneeling in front of a madman like he does! _You_ were the one to come to me after the Triwizard-finals! _You_ asked me to help you to distance yourself from your father! Bloody hell, _you were the one who suggested training to fight against Voldemort!_"

His eyes narrowed after a few seconds of the blond not reacting to his words. "Don't tell me you've suddenly changed your mind?!"

Finally he got an answer – it was a small and simple: "What?"

Harry sighed and shook his head. "Draco... what am I supposed to think? For both of us it's been nearly two years since the Triwizard Tournament, since we became friends... don't make me think I was wrong about you."

The ex-Malfoy's cold stare turned into a glare and his hand twitched as if he wanted to reach for his wand which led Harry to spreading his arms. "Well then, attack me if you feel like it. I surely won't do anything. I _can't_ do a thing as I am now."

He knew exactly that if Draco would really send a curse his way now he would have to dodge it or otherwise get hit. He did not want to risk using magic and with that making the injury on his arm worse.

They both stared at each other and you could nearly touch the tension lingering in the air between the two young wizards.

Finally the blond sighed and looked away once more. "Sorry."

"Draco... sorry doesn't cut it," Harry replied coolly and went over to the door. He noticed the blond seemed to appear a little smaller than usual after his words.

He regarded his friend and had to restrain himself from saying anything else he would regret later. He opened the door and waved his hand. "You know which room you sleep in."

The blond opened his mouth to say something and Harry could see that his pride was deeply injured by getting dismissed like that. Harry, however, was glad that he swallowed his seemingly in-breed pride, stayed silent and simply nodded. At least he knew now that their friendship was important to the blond.

Without looking Harry in the eyes he passed by him. When the blond wizard had stepped over the threshold to the hallway, Harry coughed softly.

"Draco, I know you're pissed, confused and I hate to say it but you're also right. I'm really the last person to tell you about what parents are supposed to do," he then admitted with a grimace. "However, don't sink low enough to insult others to deny the truth. Go talk to your mother or whomever you think can help you. And when you've made up your mind, tell me."

A nod and Harry turned his back on the blond. "And by Merlin, I don't want to see you until then!"

He waited until Draco was out of sight and heaved another sigh while walking down the hallway himself. _'Bloody wonderful holidays I've got this year...' _He softly rubbed at the bandages on his arm. Now that it was healing, it itched like no tomorrow!

**...HPHPHP...**

The red-haired vampire was awaiting him in front of the door to one of the guest-bedrooms. "I guess I did get a little overboard..."

Harry shook his head. "No... I'm actually surprised he kept it in so long. I've never believed him for even a second when he told me he had cut _all_ ties with his father... however, I hope I didn't throw to much at him just now... "

"Even if, you were right to do so," nodded Selwyn and gestured over to the seating-corner near the window. "As hateful as one may feel towards his parents, there's always some spark of childish love and desire for acceptance hidden deep within. Draco needs to know where he stands, otherwise he may freeze up during battle and get himself and others killed."

"Yeah... but let's drop it, please," Harry snorted and flopped down on one of the chairs. He massaged his temples to gather his thoughts and then looked at the vampire. "Why're you here exactly? Surely it's not to simply set Draco straight."

"No, I hadn't actually planned on that," Selwyn replied and sat down across from him. He tilted his head. "D'you remember, last Christmas when I gave you that parchment I sneaked out of the Dark Lord's hideout?"

Harry frowned a little when a rough image of said plan popped up in his head and then nodded. "The one with the cupboard?"

"Yes, d'you still have it?"

Harry groaned a little annoyed with himself. "No, I gave it to Dumbledore and he said he would look into it."

"I guess he hasn't found out what that drawing really is?" Selwyn assumed after chuckling a little. Then he started looking for something in the many pockets of his cloak.

"Nope, I don't think so. But I'm not really sure he remembered to look into it... the year was busy enough."

A smirk appeared on the vampire's face. "Dumbledore should've planned on that. We're talking about _you _after all."

"Very funny..." grumbled Harry with a roll of his eyes.

"It's good that I've kept a copy of it myself," Selwyn then continued. "And I believe I've found out what it is."

The vampire took out a piece of paper which was an exact copy of the one Harry had seen months ago when he had been in Knockturn Alley. "So, it's really not a normal cupboard?"

"Nope, I think it's a vanishing cabinet."

Harry's head snapped up to look at Selwyn. "A vanishing cabinet? Why the hell does Voldemort have a detailed drawing of a vanishing cabinet lying around on his desk? Those things are no longer produced but there are still some of them around as far as I know."

"Beats me," answered the vampire and Harry's excitement disappeared with those two words. "However you're right; they're no longer produced – since 1796 to be exact - and are incredibly rare these days. They're also quite hard to understand. The magic which is used to create them is ancient and only a few knew how exactly they had to be built."

"Well… you've done your homework, haven't you?" Harry mumbled quietly.

"It's my job to know everything after all," replied Selwyn with a roll of his eyes. "I haven't managed to encrypt the runes on the paper so far, that's why I don't really know what to think of the whole matter."

"I don't really get what Voldemort could be using such a cabinet for."

"He could get rid of some servants when he wants to punish them, for starters. Or make corpses disappear with it…" the redheaded vampire grimaced. "It's not a nice thought… imagine you'd find a corpse or a totally crazed Death Eater in your living room…"

"Things that are put into a vanishing cabinet simply disappear and then reappear after a while in another place, don't they?" Harry more stated than asked. "What I don't understand is where the things are during that time…"

Selwyn waved the paper around. "And that's exactly what nobody besides the dead who built the cabinets knows these days. There's also the question of why the objects reappear in the locations they do. I hope I can manage to read the runes, maybe they'll help."

"Well… I have to say that information was awfully unhelpful," said Harry with a sigh that turned into a grin when Selwyn rolled his eyes once more. "Thanks anyway, Selwyn. Could you maybe make me another copy of that thing? Maybe I can try to read some of it, too."

"Certainly."

Harry observed the vampire when he simply waved his hand and another copy of the drawing appeared out of thin air. While Selwyn was busy making sure he really had produced an exact copy, Harry's eyes wandered through the room. A small bag was resting on the chair in front of the desk where various parchments were strewn over. Two small bottles were sitting on the nightstand and Harry shook his head when he saw the red liquid in it.

"Selwyn, will you be staying longer?"

The vampire, satisfied with the drawing, nodded and pressed it into Harry's hand.

"Yes, your godfather – excuse me, I mean adopted father – hired me for an indefinite amount of time. And I know that he's paying extremely well, so why should I refuse?"

"Why does it always sound as if you're talking about something else?" asked the dark-haired teen with a grimace. "No offense, but sometimes it sounds like you're a male prostitute…"

Harry forced the picture that had started to form in his head away with all his might while Selwyn laughed a little. "It's rather funny if I talk to clients about the payment and someone else is around… "

"I never really understood what you need all the money for…" Harry said with a shake of his head. "I bet you could've bought Hogwarts _twice_ already with the money you've earned the last two-hundred years."

"Well, when you're a spy the risk of getting killed is rather high so the payment should make up for it."

"You're a vampire, Selwyn, it's not very easy to kill you, y'know?"

As if Harry had just reminded him of the fact that he was not human, Selwyn grinned and walked over to the nightstand and took a deep gulp out of one of the bottles. "Sure I am but not many people know that."

Harry shortly looked down at the copy of the drawing in his hand and then started walking to the door. "Well then, I only hope you have enough blood with you. I hope I don't need to remind you, but no one in this house here is to be a donor."

"Oh, get out. As if I would ever attack a human when I'm in my right mind…"

**...HPHPHP...**

A day later, at seven in the morning, Harry was walking through the hallway with a grimace on his face. His right hand was clutching his bandaged left arm that was throbbing painfully with the slightest of movements.

He had woken up an hour ago and since then had not been able to go back to sleep due to the pain. After a quick shower he had left his room. He sincerely hoped that Snape was already down in the kitchen. Harry guessed the man probably preferred to have his breakfast before any other occupant of the house was awake.

He took a quick rest at the bottom of the staircase to catch his breath and then continued his way into the kitchen.

Harry was disappointed, however, when the familiar black-robed figure was not sitting on the table as he had hoped. Instead, the lean form of Narcissa was standing near the sink with her wand in hand and in the process of washing a small mountain of dishes.

His pain shortly forgotten, Harry chuckled at the mundane activity the aristocratic woman was performing.

At his chuckle the blond woman turned around and smiled at him. "Oh, good morning, Harry. I didn't expect anybody to be awake at this hour."

He gave her a slightly forced smile in return and stiffly walked over to one of the chairs at the table and sat down. "Morning... Cissy, is Professor Snape awake yet?"

Narcissa frowned at him and loosened her pony-tail to fasten it anew as some hair had fallen into her eyes. "I don't know. I haven't seen him yet." She let the dishes continue to wash themselves and walked over to him. "Harry... is your arm troubling you?"

He nodded and carefully placed his arm on the table when she mentioned him to do so. "Yeah, I woke up not long ago and it hasn't stopped throbbing since."

"Please refer from moving it," she ordered softly. "I'll be back in a second."

Harry, who had not planned on doing anything else, simply rested his chin on his healthy hand and closed his eyes.

Narcissa really did return after only a minute or two and with a soft _'clonk'_ placed a bowl of a very familiar ointment and a washing cloth on the table.

"Severus was so kind as to explain to me what to do should your arm start hurting when I talked to him yesterday. He did it in case he is not available should something happen. However, let's get those bandages unwrapped."

Harry helped her with that as best as he could and was surprised at the professionalism the woman showed while treating his still rather ugly looking arm. However, with a bit of relief he noticed that it looked better than the day before.

"I can't fathom how you always manage to get into such situations... you _have_ to be more careful!" Narcissa admonished while applying the salve on his arm. "If not for yourself, then at least for the rest of us. I'm certainly not the only one who doesn't want to lose another person to Voldemort."

"That's nearly the same thing you told Snape yesterday," he smiled and winced when her hand slipped and one of her fingernails left a tiny cut on his arm.

"H-how do you...?" He looked up at her and saw a slightly red tinge on her cheeks when she answered with narrowed eyes. "Have you been eavesdropping, young man?!"

"Not really!" he replied hastily. "I was in the library before you or Snape even entered and simply didn't want to interrupt."

"Sure..." she hummed just and continued with her task. "You're too nosy for your own good, but I guess you've got that from your father... he was an annoying, snot-nosed, little brat, I tell you."

"Oi!" replied Harry in mock-anger. "He wasn't!"

Narcissa smirked slightly. "Harry, I've had the questionable pleasure of being a victim of his pranks more times than I care to count just because I was in Slytherin. Let me assure you, until his seventh year, your father was a brat in all but looks."

Before Harry could reply anything to that, she abruptly changed the topic: "Say, Harry... what happened yesterday between you and Draco? He came to me yesterday and asked me if I would have time this afternoon for a long talk. Draco mentioned an argument with you, so..."

Harry shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it. Draco knows where I stand on this and that I'll wait for him to get his thoughts in order."

Narcissa's expression looked as if she had bitten into a sour lemon and she shook her head. "He's been a little... difficult since the end of term. It seems as if he's somewhere else with his thoughts most of the time."

"Too true..." Harry mumbled and Narcissa promptly stood up when she was finished.

She went over to the stove and lit a fire. "I take it, you're hungry?"

He nodded a little baffled but relaxed when Narcissa gave him a smile while placing a cup of hot cocoa on the table in front of him. He eyed her for a few seconds and then shook his head. It took him roughly twenty minutes to realize how easily Narcissa had managed to distract him from the original interrogation about Snape he had wanted to put her under.

**...HPHPHP...**

For Harry, it was a boring four days that followed. With nothing else to do he had spent his time with his head buried in books about dark rituals in hopes of stumbling over a way to destroy horcruxes by accident.

One positive thing had happened though: It had finally stopped raining and Harry was sitting on a blanket near the small pond at the back of the house with his back leaning against a tree-trunk.

He was currently enjoying the weak rays of afternoon-sunlight that occasionally managed to get through the clouds. He had his eyes closed and a book he had just finished rested on his lap.

The atmosphere in the house had been a strange one. Draco could rarely be seen, despite him living in the same house and Narcissa was strangely silent as well. He was honestly a little glad that he did not see the blond. He was still angry at the ex-Malfoy and planned on keeping his word of waiting for Draco to come to him when he finally had put his thoughts in order.

Rose, who at the moment was flying around on the small Quidditch-pitch with Remus watching her, was as bubbly as ever and strangely enough Harry could see her talking to Snape about various potions rather often – much to the displeasure of Sirius.

Harry watched her diving headfirst to the ground and saw Remus frantically waving his arms. The wind came from the other direction so he wasn't able to make out what the werewolf was saying but it was not really hard to guess. He chuckled when he imagined the look on his face as Rose stopped the dive and wobbled a little before she regained full control of her broom.

Ever since she had read 'Quidditch Through the Ages' she had taken to practicing the Wronski-Bluff and had nearly given Sirius a heart-attack when she had first tried it this morning and had fallen off her broom. Thankfully that had only resulted in a scraped elbow due to the cushioning-charms placed on the small pitch.

Speaking of the dog-animagus; Harry suddenly noticed that something had blocked the sun from reaching him and slightly turned his head. Sirius – whose hair was bound in a short ponytail – grinned and flopped down next to him.

"You're getting lazy, Harry," he smirked and nudged him on the shoulder. "Usually you're working out and now you're just sitting around with your head buried in books all the time."

Harry placed the book on the blanked next to him and raised his still bandaged arm for Sirius to see. "It's rather hard to do push-ups with that arm and even if I go running it hurts a little. I'd do some target practice down in the dueling-room but according to Snape I'm only allowed to start using magic again in three days – if I'm lucky."

Sirius grunted softly and looked up into the sky while adjusting his position so that his back was also resting against the tree. "You've got a point... and on that note: Say, what about your Occlumency shields? Last time your magic was disrupted they crashed down."

"I'm counting," replied the young wizard with a yawn.

The dog animagus blinked. "Uh... counting?"

"I've told you before, haven't I?" said Harry, "Draco and I managed to train ourselves to unconsciously count up to a hundred in an infinite loop and guard our most precious thoughts behind those numbers if our shields break down."

"Well... I forgot that little fact. That means your shields _are_ down?"

"Yup."

Sirius yawned as well and Harry had to grin when he stretched himself like his canine animagus-form's biggest enemy. "I'm still a little miffed at you for placing yourself in danger like that, y'know?"

"Sirius..."

"No, Harry, I mean it," continued the Head of the House of Black. "I was worried sick! Sometimes I think it's a good thing I wasn't there for your first three years at Hogwarts..."

Now it was Harry's turn to look at him in question. He was surprised to receive a grin instead of a worried frown in return.

"I'd be sprouting white hair and wrinkles on my forehead for sure!" Sirius laughed.

Harry chuckled a little but did not reply to that. He knew, that the old dog was probably right... he shook his head and also stretched his limbs a little bit.

They stayed silent for a while, watching Rose zooming over the pitch.

"She's one hell of a flyer for her age!" Sirius said and Harry noted with amusement that he puffed out his chest like any proud parent would and grinned when Rose only barely managed to stop her slow dive in time.

"Yeah, I've noticed," Harry replied truthfully. "Although I think the Wronski-Bluff is too much for her. It's a Seeker-move and she's more suited for Beater or Chaser."

Sirius eyed him oddly. "Beater? She doesn't really look like a beater. She's much too small for that position."

"For that she's brilliant with the bat," Harry countered. "She occasionally manages to throw even me off the broom."

"So modest!" Sirius laughed. "Well, if she can manage that despite your Firebolt's insane speed, then I've got to agree with you. Where does she get all that strength from?"

Harry shrugged. "Beats me. Hand her a Quaffle and in a few years she'll throw the Keeper through the loop as well. Give her more training and she can go pro straight after Hogwarts. Maybe she can even play in the Junior League during her seventh year."

"Planing on saving her a spot on the English National team when you're playing Seeker for them?" Sirius grinned.

Harry chuckled but shook his head a little sullen. "No... I don't think Quidditch is a career for me. With my luck I'll be fighting dark wizards until I'm older than Dumbledore."

"So... maybe aiming for Auror then?" Sirius asked and absent-mindedly, it seemed, flicked some strands of hair that had loosened from his short pny-tail out of his face.

"And work for those incompetent Blast-Ended Screwts at the Ministry? Not bloody likely..." Harry replied with a grimace.

"Well, it's not so bad. During the time James and I were Aurors, the teams pretty much handled themselves. Sure, we had Mad-Eye to answer to but you know him. Actions speak louder than words. He was ready to hex you into next week if you asked him for permission before heading out. Barty Crouch Senior, who was Head of the DMLE at that time, just handled the paperwork and let us do the rest. If shit really hit the fan we had to send a small note to Milly and then justify our actions afterwards."

"Milly?" asked Harry perplexed.

"Millicent Bagnold," was Sirius' reply. "Youngest Minister in the last two-hundred years, but a competent Minister as well. Probably because she's a Ravenclaw to boot. After her predecessor – that coward - fled the country when things with Voldemort got really out of hand in 1980, she had to pick up the mess he left behind."

"Okay, I've heard of her from Cissy... what happened to her, though?"

"As much as I've gathered since I'm out of Azkaban, she retired after ten years of service and disappeared from politics completly. It's a pity, really. She's just five years older than me but I guess the post-war mess and all the political power-squabbles that followed over the next years got to her."

Harry shook his head. "And before Bagnold became Minister?"

Sirius did not answer and instead dug around in his pockets. He took out a small bag of Berty Bott's Every Flavor Beans and offered them to him. Harry assumed it was an unconscious action to give him some time to gather his thoughts.

"Well... I'm not really sure. I didn't get to see much of the Ministry after Hogwarts because of Auror training and the work for the Order. Your father and I had just finished training when Milly was elected. She took what she could get and with only two other new Aurors besides James and me, she just let Mad-Eye handle the rest, counting on him to make the right decisions."

Harry carefully bit into one of the beans and was happy to have got one with peppermint-flavor. He swallowed and frowned. "Just two others?"

"Yeah, no surprise there. What was there to expect?" the dog-animagus asked with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "Voldemort had openly been spreading terror for six years at that time. During those years there were four new Aurors per year at max. Before that it was roughly twenty."

Harry mulled that over in his head and sighed slightly. "Brilliant. When you need them they aren't there... I guess it'll be the same this time."

"Probably." Sirius was silent for a while and popped another bean into his mouth. "Y'know... it may sound strange, but war does one good thing to the magical world: It makes the Ministry mostly act like it should."

Harry gave him a questioning look. It was a little strange to talk with his godfather-turned-adoptive-father about things like that. The usual happy-go-lucky attitude the man displayed for the world to see was gone and replaced by what he really was. A war-veteran and well educated pureblood that had lost over a decade of his just 35 years in Azkaban for a crime he did not commit.

Sirius snorted a little. "Times of peace turn the Ministry into a playground for purebloods and other power-hungry individuals. Corruption and questionable dealings occur left and right. Criminals walk around freely just because they have enough money to buy themselves out of prison."

Harry just nodded. That was all he had seen of the Ministry so far, but he could imagine that with a competent Minister the Ministry would do a hundred-eighty during a war. However, Harry still waited for that to happen now. Fudge may have been sacked, but he yet had to see Scrimgeour take any serious action.

"I was born after Grindelwald and before Voldemort so I've seen the change," Sirius continued and frowned at the bag of Berty Bott's in his hand. "After Grindelwald the high-quality training of the Aurors had become a joke and made them no better than an average wizard with slightly better reflexes. As soon as Voldemort came most of them were killed and the Ministry upped the training to former standards."

"Pretty stupid for a government if you ask me." Harry mumbled. "I'm still surprised the Crown gives the Minister so much leverage... it may be a hidden world, but it's still her country that the Ministry has to govern and protect after all."

Sirius outright laughed at the disgrunteld look that had apparently made its way to Harry's face. "You don't honestly think the Ministry tells our Queen everything that's going on in our world, do you? She knows about the magical world and a few distant relatives of hers may be magical, but for the purebloods she's nothing more than a very powerful muggle that they only answer to because of tradition."

"I gathered as much," said Harry and tilted his head to the side. "I just hope that the Ministry really upped the Auror-training once more. Otherwise things look pretty bleak for us..."

"I'm actually thinking about going back on active duty as soon as you and Rose are back at Hogwarts," Sirius replied. "I was only suspended for an indefinite amount of time before Azkaban so they never revoked my license."

"And what about the Order?" Harry asked surprised.

Sirius snorted. "Thank Merlin that the Auror-corps are practically run by the Order already. Mad-Eye is back to being the boss and Kingsley's his right hand man. Dear Nymphadora has managed to climb up the ladder pretty fast as well despite only being on active duty for two years. She's already Captain of her own team."

"How'd she manage that?" Harry asked. It should not be possible to become Captain after only two years. He remembered briefly overhearing a documentation on British Army ranks Dudley had been forced to watch for pretense while Vernon had entertained some business partner of his – leaving the door to the living room open to give them the impression of his son being smart.

He inwardly shrugged. They were talking about the Wizardring World after all... logic usually did not apply in it.

"She soundly beat her own Captain in a duel last year and they gave her his spot right afterwards. He was an old worn-out skeleton, but make no mistake, she really has the skills to back that title up – even if she's clumsy as hell."

"Is there anything remotely similar to being an Auror that doesn't make one an employee of the Ministry?" wanted Harry to know.

"Not really, no," Sirius replied and his face became a little sad. "Prongsie and I were on our best way to become Hit-Wizards, y'know? We were working like a two-man team of Hit-Wizards for six months until the three of you had to go into hiding. You could do the same. They only have to answer to the Head of the DMLE – which is Amelia Bones as you may know. However, you have to train for Auror first. After that you can apply for the Hit-Wizards."

"And a Hit-Wizard does what exactly?"

Sirius grinned. "It's basically the same as being an Auror with better pay and more rights. A Hit-Wizard can do as he pleases. He can choose to work alone or get a partner and kick ass! A dream-job!"

"Don't you always do as you please?" Harry asked dryly and smirked at Sirius.

"Well, yeah... but as a Hit-Wizard you can do it legally!"

They shared a good laugh at that and because they had nothing else to do, once more watched Rose zooming over the pitch. Harry felt Sirius' eyes on him for a few seconds before the dog-animagus started talking again. This time about a completely different topic:

"Why don't you ask Ron or Neville to come over? As far as I know the Weasleys come back from visiting Charlie in Romania tomorrow."

"Then Ron will come over anyway." Harry gave him a thoughtful look. "What're you trying to do Sirius?"

The animagus sighed softly. "Well… I've noticed that Draco's avoiding you and maybe having the others around will finally make him snap out of it. Surprisingly enough, he came to me yesterday evening and I had a long talk with him. I'm sure you know about what."

With a nod, Harry also looked up into the sky. "Has he asked you about what he should do about his father?"

The animagus sighed. "Yes. He knows that I cut all ties with my family when I was roughly the same age as him and that it was for nearly the same reasons. However, I also think Narcissa sent him to me."

"I've always suspected he was acting a little too nonchalant when his father was mentioned…" Harry mumbled. "My problem is only, that I don't really know what to say to help him, I simply can't imagine a father wanting to kill his son."

"Yeah, it's hard to imagine, isn't it?" Sirius replied in a bitter voice. "But sadly it's a very common occurrence in pureblooded families. It's either to get rid of the supposed disgrace or die in shame. My uncle Alphard was killed just after he gave me a rather big sum of money when I ran away from home. My mother had him assassinated for _bringing shame to the family by aiding a muggle-loving traitor."_

Harry stared at him when the animagus gave him a sad smile. "I bet that if I hadn't gotten myself carted off to Azkaban for supposedly being a Death Eater and with that surprising everybody for choosing the right side after all, I would have _accidentally_ fallen off a broom or been poisoned long ago."

"Sometimes I'm still surprised how medieval the Wizardring World is," replied Harry. "I understand that it's part of old traditions to act like that, but sometimes wizards could learn a thing or two from muggles."

Sirius scratched his head with a small sigh. "Change in topic, alright? I may've talked to him but why exactly's Draco avoiding you because of his father?"

"It goes both ways. I don't want to talk to him until he's made up his mind. I've told him he should get his thoughts straight after Selwyn riled him up…" Harry shrugged his shoulders. "After that he just suddenly snapped at me. I'm still a little pissed off that he threw the fact that I'm an orphan at my head after I told him Lucius is not acting like a father should."

"You bet he isn't," grumbled Sirius. "Don't worry; Draco'll be getting back to normal in no time." He winked with a mischievous smirk on his face. "Just wait until your lovely girlfriend gets here. If Draco hasn't snapped out of it until then, Hermione 'll make sure he does."

Harry smiled and looked into the water of the pond with his thoughts turning to the chocolate-eyed, smart young woman. He had not seen her since the school year had ended. She was currently in France with her parents and even though they had exchanged letters with Hedwig, it was not the same as having her around. He shook his head. It was strange not to see her every day… after all, she had been his girlfriend for nearly a year now...

His eyes widened and he slowly stood up. He looked at Sirius, who had raised an eyebrow in question.

"I'll need to make a quick floo-call, Siri. In fact, I think hanging out with Neville is a good idea. Don't worry if you can't find me, we'll probably go to Diagon Alley. I'll see you at dinner, okay?"

"Be careful!" Sirius said when he had started walking back to the house. "And no trips to Knockturn Alley!"

Harry waved his hand and rolled his eyes when he hurriedly walked into the living room and knelt down in front of the fireplace.

He just hoped that Sirius would not come barging into the room to stop him when he remembered that Harry could not use magic at the moment...

He threw a little bit of floo-powder after lighting a fire and placed his head into the flames.

**...HPHPHP...**

He blinked a little to get a clear view of the old-fashioned but elegantly furnished living room that had appeared in front of him. A rather strict looking old lady was sitting in front of the widely opened door leading to a large porch. She was looking at two knitting-needles in front of her that were knitting something he could not make out.

Harry coughed slightly to gain her attention and she gracefully rose to her feet. "Good afternoon, Lady Longbottom, it's a pleasure to meet you. We have only met once before at St. Mungo's last year. My name is Harry Potter. If it is not inconvenient, may I come through?"

"Mr. Potter, good afternoon. Certainly you may," she answered formally and nodded.

Stepping through into the Longbottoms' living room, Harry stumbled a little and blushed slightly when the Longbottom-matriarch raised an eyebrow.

He slowly dusted off his robes to regain a little bit of his dignity and then gave a small bow in front of Augusta Longbottom. "I'm sorry to appear unannounced, Lady Longbottom. But something has come to my attention which requires immediate assistance of a friend. May I talk to Neville?"

The woman gestured over to the table where an expensive tea-set was resting. Harry noted that her eyes only fleetingly rested on his bandaged arm and was glad for that. "Please sit down and feel free to have a cup of tea. Neville will join us shortly."

He thanked her while she called a house-elf that respectfully bowed in front of her, then in front of Harry and after a few words from her, disappeared once more.

After that she also sat down across from him and he felt a little bit as if she was examining him to decide if he was worth talking to. He took a sip of his tea without breaking eye-contact and she raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Let us talk a little, Future Head of the House of Potter, to get better acquainted."

_'Here we go...' _Harry set his cup down very slowly and was careful to appear as if he had always been well-versed in pureblood-etiquette. He knew that Augusta Longbottom, despite being on the light side, would not tolerate any socially inadequate behavior and could – like every person that grew up in a real pureblood-household - reduce a grown man to a whimpering picture of pity, if she wanted to.

"You may know that the Potters and Longbottoms have a long history," she started out of the blue. "Our houses have been allies for centuries."

She did not say anything else and Harry looked her in the eyes without backing down – a small smile tugging at his lips at the challenge he saw in her eyes. "Yes, since 1294 when both our families were serving King Edward I of England. I believe this alliance resulted of a life-debt when a Potter saved a Longbottom that was falsely accused of high-treason."

The Longbottom-matriarch nodded, apparently satisfied with his answer. "Correct and the first marriage between our houses resulted out of them promising their children to each other. Many more followed, as you may know."

Harry searched his brain for anything to say and was relieved when he found something. Sitting through Narcissa's long-winded lectures about family-history paid off now. "The last one was not that long ago, wasn't it? My Great-Grandfather George Potter married Cecilia Longbottom. If I recall correctly, she was the younger sister of your late mother-in-law, Lady Samantha Longbottom."

Augusta Longbottom nodded once more and took a sip of her tea – a small smile on her face. "I am impressed, Mr. Potter. For a young man raised by his muggles you certainly know how to play this game. I had not expected you to even know of it, but you are faring admirably."

Harry allowed himself a small smirk. "No offense, Madam, but as the heir to all rights and titles of the Houses Potter and Black, it is my duty to do so. "

"Then you may also know, that the life-debt you spoke of has still not been called upon and lives on up to this day with you and Neville," said the old witch seriously and made Harry look up from his cup of tea in surprise.

"Therefore I cannot help but wonder what your intentions towards my grandson are. It came as a surprise to me when your name more often appeared in Neville's letters – along with a few others. The youngest male Weasley, one Miss Granger and surprisingly Mr. Black were mentioned as well."

"My apologies, Lady Longbottom, but I am unable to follow you at the moment," Harry politely replied and gave her a questioning look.

"Before your fifth year, it did not seem as if you and Neville were more than simple classmates that occasionally exchanged a few words in the common-room or at breakfast. Then you suddenly become one of my grandson's best friends and now you come here. It seems a little suspicious, does it not? With He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named after you."

"Lady Longbottom," said Harry softly and placed his cup back on the table. "I assure you I had no knowledge of the life-debt still being active." He now glared slightly when he continued: "Me befriending Neville has nothing to do with Voldemort, safe for the fact that your grandson wanted to learn how to fight against his followers should the need arise. I have absolutely _no_ intention of calling upon an old life-debt to use Neville as a shield to save my own hide, if it is that what you fear."

The two of them stared at each other and Harry really hoped that with those few words he had managed to get his point across.

"Well then, Mr. Potter. I must say that I have to thank you."

"I'm sorry?" he asked, blinking.

The old woman helped herself to another cup of tea and then tapped her fingers on the table while looking at him once more. "I must thank you for the change my grandson has undergone. I was pleasantly surprised to find Neville had matured exceptionally during the last year. His involvement in the debacle at the Ministry only proves that fact."

Harry refrained from squirming around in his seat. That woman was really hard to read. Not frightening like he had expected her to be but the way she looked at him with her wizened brown eyes… it was a woman demanding respect from those around her.

He slowly shook his head.

"Thank you very much, Lady Longbottom. However, Neville has always been a credit to the House of Longbottom and to Hogwarts and I regret that I hadn't realized it the years before. He only lacked self-confidence. He just needed a little push in the right direction. I am flattered that you think I am the reason for his change but you are giving me too much credit."

The woman nodded once more and Harry sighed slightly in relief when her eyes stopped examining him and her head turned to the door leading outside where Neville had appeared with a towel in his hand.

He had a little dirt on his jeans and his face was a little sweaty. He smiled at Harry but didn't enter until he was sure that he was a little more presentable.

"Sorry to greet you like this, Harry," he said politely with a small look at his grandmother. "I was working in the greenhouses before Gabby told me you were here."

"It's no problem," Harry answered and saw that Neville's eyes narrowed slightly when he caught a glimpse of the bandages around his arm. His friend coughed quietly and turned to his grandmother.

"Gran, would you mind if we two talked in private for a moment?" Neville asked and when the elderly woman wanted to stand up he waved his hands and looked at Harry. "I'm sure Harry doesn't mind to come outside with me so that you can finish your tea."

Harry shook his head and rose to his feet. After giving a small bow in Augusta's direction he followed Neville outside. He was pleasantly surprised. The slight stutter Neville had occasionally had when talking had seemingly disappeared.

"Has something happened?" the still slightly round-faced young man asked immediately when they were sure not to be overheard by his grandmother. "What's wrong with your hand?"

Harry sighed quietly and proceeded to tell his friend about the horcrux and why his hand – or rather his whole arm - was bandaged while they strolled around in the beautiful garden of the Longbottom residence. Harry absent-mindedly noted that the greenhouses in the large garden were nearly on par with those at Hogwarts.

When he had finished, Neville shook his head. "You sure don't waste any time. I'd have thought you'd be the first to relax and enjoy the holidays after the fight in the Ministry and Umbridge bothering us the whole year."

Harry smiled grimly and shrugged his shoulders. "Come on, Nev. You know me better than that," he tilted his head. "However, that's not really why I've come here today. Are you up for a trip to Diagon Alley right now?"

His friend blinked and hurriedly ducked when one of the magical plants near him shook itself and sprayed him with its giant rose-like petals. "Err, sure. I hadn't really planned to do anything else today. Why, though?"

"Hermione'll come over to Black Manor in a few days and in two weeks we'll have our one-year anniversary. I want to get her something special for that day, but I don't really know what to get her. I thought that maybe you had an idea. I don't want to ask Sirius to come with me because I know for sure he wouldn't be able to keep quiet about the present when Hermione arrives and it's too dangerous to take Rose with me while I can't do magic."

His face turned a little sullen then. "And I could use a little company my own age."

"Wow… can you believe how fast that year was over?" said Neville. Then he halted in his steps and frowned. "Didn't you write that Draco's back from Australia and staying at Black Manor, too? Not that I mind hanging out with you, of course!"

Harry grimaced a little when they started walking back into the direction of the door leading into the house. "We've had an argument a few days back and I guess he still needs a little time to cool down. I've flat-out told him that he should make up his mind if he doesn't want to get killed by his oh-so-loving father."

"Ouch," Neville murmured. "I thought he'd already come to terms with Malfoy wanting to kill him. That Death Eater tried to hit him with several killing-curses in the Ministry after all."

"Yeah, but Draco apparently hasn't," sighed Harry.

"Well, if that's so, I'm sure that Gran has no problems with me going to Diagon Alley. She's absolutely taken with you since the Department of Mysteries." He chuckled. "Come to think of it, I could ask her if I can stay over for a week or so."

Harry nodded. "That's a brilliant idea. Ron will probably come over the day after tomorrow as well and I bet nearly all the other Weasleys will follow. I'm just not sure if we got room for all of them…"

Neville chuckled again when they re-entered the living room. Augusta Longbottom had disappeared. "Well, it'll take me around half-an-hour to get ready and packed. How about we meet in the Leaky Cauldron then? I think you don't want to sit around here chatting with Gran?"

Harry quickly shook his head. "Not really. She's already interrogated me while we waited for you. I'm honestly a little surprised I've managed to pass her little test… but somehow I don't think I'd survive another one of these sessions without having a nervous break-down…"

Neville snorted and looked at his watch and then back at Harry. "Should I disguise myself?"

The black-haired wizard nodded thoughtfully. "I think it's better if you do. Everyone knows you were at the Ministry and I don't really want us to get harassed by reporters."

With that, Harry went back over to the fireplace and after quickly searching for a small pot of floo-powder that was standing on a small table he went back to Black Manor.

He stumbled into the living room and was caught by Remus before he could fall face-first onto the ground.

"Thanks…" he mumbled slightly miffed and inwardly glad that he had fared better when appearing at Neville's.

"I guess you'll never learn how to do it right," the werewolf replied with an amused smile. "Good thing that I was just getting the newspaper then."

"Yeah, sure," Harry scratched his head and then smiled as well. "Could you maybe change my appearance for me? I need to go to Diagon Alley and can do without Death Eaters and reporters seeing me."

The werewolf, who had just turned back to the newspaper he had dropped on the table before catching Harry looked at him in surprise and then a worried frown appeared on his face. "Are you sure that's wise? You can't use magic at the moment… what if something happens?"

"I'll met up with Neville there and if we run into trouble I know that he's perfectly capable of apparating us out of the Alley."

Remus still seemed a little reluctant. Despite improving in his schoolwork, Neville still had the reputation of being a little… well, useless. Remus frown deepened and Harry could practically see the thoughts running through the werewolf's head: Remus had seen how serious Neville had been and still was taking his training.

After another bout of silence he nodded softly and mumbled a few spells with his wand pointed at Harry's face.

He felt a small tingling sensation and saw some of his hair that had fallen into his eyes change to dark blond and when he felt his eyes go dry for a moment, he also knew that the color of his eyes had changed.

"Thanks, Moony," Harry said and proceeded to get to his room to grab a robe. He had realized that it was getting colder once more when he had walked around the garden with Neville.

"If something happens come here immediately," Remus insisted while walking over to the door leading outside. "I guess you've already told Sirius you'll be gone for a while?"

Harry stopped with his hand barely touching the door to the Entrance Hall and nodded with a small grimace. "Yeah… I'm not so sure he thought about the fact that I can't use magic at the moment… don't remind him please! I really need to get to Diagon Alley!"

Remus bit his lip; however, he then waved his hand for Harry to get going. "Then I better distract him enough not to remember it until you're back."

Harry once more was grateful for the werewolf's understanding character and gave a small wave in return before closing the door.

…**HPHPHP…**

"Are you waiting for someone?"

Harry looked up from his table at the Leaky Cauldron and gave the person standing in front of him a once-over. It was a young man who had reddish-brown hair and blue eyes behind glasses, wearing a simple robe over his jeans and sweater. He was carrying a small backpack. The person casually took out his wand and Harry nodded when he recognized it.

"That was quick, Nev," he answered and stood up.

He left some sickles on the table for the Elderflower Wine he had nipped on to kill time and they both quickly went to the small backroom with the brick-stone-wall leading to Diagon Alley.

When the wall opened. Harry was not really surprised to see that the usually packed Alley was rather empty. People who had to do some shopping were hurriedly walking around, occasionally surveying their surroundings and avoiding other people as much as possible. Harry saw a small family with two children quickly cross the street so that they could go back home as quickly as possible.

"Well… that's an unusual sight," Harry remarked to the disguised Neville who nodded sadly.

They didn't say much when they walked through the Alley into the direction of the wizardring bank Gringott's. Even though, Harry still had a little money on him, he was not sure how much he would need to buy a present for Hermione. He had quickly come to the decision, that no matter the price, if something caught his eye, he would buy it.

"D'you have a rough idea of where to start looking for a present?" Neville asked and his head turned to look after a man who had stepped out of the Apothecary and had started sprinting down the road. "How about a few books from Flourish & Blott's?"

"Definitely not!" Harry laughed when they entered the bank. "I want it to be something special."

They separated for a short while to get some money out of their respective vaults. Harry enjoyed the small roller-coaster-ride into the depths of the wizardring bank and stopped in front of his trust-vault. The goblin opened it with the key Harry had handed him and let him in.

"Your name is Griphook, isn't it? You're the goblin I've met when I first came to Gringott's," he asked then and the goblin's head snapped in his direction. "How come you just let me enter the vault despite my disguise? Why didn't you say anything?"

The goblin frowned and than gave him something reminiscent of a smile. "Mr. Potter, we goblins pride ourselves in being able to detect if a wizard is who he claims to be. And if a wizard does not want to be recognized by his peers, we respect that and treat it with discretion. Business is business no matter what."

He nodded. He should have expected something like that. Although it gave him small chills when he thought that a Death Eater could possibly take advantage of the goblin's secrecy. He quickly grabbed some galleons and hesitated a little when an idea hit him. He turned back to Griphook.

"Would it be possible for me to visit the Potter-Family vault?" he asked politely.

The goblin slowly looked at him and turned his head to the side with an apparently thoughtful look on his face. He nodded slowly. "I don't see why not. However, you will have to wait for Director Ragnock to come down as we need a few drops of your blood, Mr. Potter, to open the vault."

Harry nodded his acceptance and stashed his vault-key back into a pocket of his robes.

He did not have to wait long when a goblin in expensive clothing appeared in front of his trust-vault and stepped out of the cart that had brought him down.

"Mr. Potter. It has been long since I've met one of your family. May your gold never fade. Or how your race prefers it: How do you do?"

"And may your business prosper, Director Ragnock," Harry answered politely, ignoring the normal greeting, He was pleased to note that the goblin looked surprised for a moment. "I am honored that you have found the time to come down here and I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you."

The Director nodded and gave him a thoughtful look. "It is a pleasure... there are not many wizards who treat our race with respect these days, Mr. Potter. Talking to someone who does is... refreshing."

Harry preferred not to say anything to that and simply waited for Ragnock to do or say something else.

"If you would follow me, Mr. Potter?" he said finally and mentioned over to the cart. "Your family vault is much farther down. If you would allow me to get a drop of your blood first?"

Harry nodded and held his hand out. "Certainly."

After only a small pinch the goblin had what he wanted and soon they were racing through the tunnels of the bank again. The ride was much longer compared to the one to his trust-vault, despite it being rather far down already.

The Director did not say anything until the giant doors of the vault were open and then mentioned for him to come forward. "As you are not of age you are only allowed to stay for five minutes."

Harry's breath caught in his throat when he stepped into the vault. Not only was it filled to the brim with galleons but also with books, furniture and other valuable items like jewelery and paintings

He carefully stepped inside and let his eyes roam over several tables that were stacked with boxes of various sizes. Harry looked at them. Maybe he would not even need to buy something for Hermione... he looked at Ragnock who was standing at the entrance of his vault.

"Am I allowed to take anything with me?"

The Director of Gringott's gave him something that Harry hoped was a smile. "You are. As the sole heir of the Potter-line, you may take whatever you want - save for the money. You will only have access to that after reaching your majority. And for us goblins this event is still at the age of seventeen – and not at sixteen like your Ministry declared for the use of magic outside of school."

Harry nodded and thanked the goblin. With that he proceeded to open some of the boxes in search for something that caught his attention. As he had thought, most boxes were full of jewelry but some also held various other knick-knacks Harry could not really put a name to. However, one piece of jewelry was more beautiful than the other and that did not really make his decision any easier...

When he nearly wanted to stop looking and leave without success, another box caught his eye. It was out of dark cherry-wood and skillfully decorated with various flowers and small crystals were imbedded in it.

He carefully opened the box and his breath caught in his throat. He quickly shut it again with a smile and noticed a few pieces of paper – not parchment – the box had been standing on. After quickly scanning through them, he took them as well. Ragnock was watching him carefully and Harry held the box and the papers up.

"That's all I will be taking with me. We can leave now. Thank you once more for your time."

The goblin nodded and soon Harry found himself standing in the Entrance Hall of Gringott's once more. He bowed to Ragnock and smiled. "May you continue to forge with the strength of your ancestors. I look forward to meeting you once again when I become of age."

You could clearly see that he had shocked the goblin once more and even the ones standing near them stopped with what they were doing to stare at him in surprise.

"Indeed, Mr. Potter," the Director of Gringott's replied quietly when Harry started walking . "And may your forge always burn bright."

**...HPHPHP...**

He met up with Neville again at the doors. The goblins around them eyed them strangely the whole time and Harry knew that they could see right through their disguises even if they could not exactly tell who they were. He was glad for their policy of keeping a wizard's secrets as long as it did not directly involve their own safety.

Harry turned to his round-faced friend. "Neville, you don't happen to know a good jewelry-shop that takes orders for custom-made jewelry?"

The Hufflepuff looked a little surprised. "Custom-made jewelry? I'm not sure… maybe _'Enchanting Charms'_ will take orders. Have you decided to get Hermione some jewelry then? Why not simply look if you can find something in the shop itself?"

With a shake of his head Harry started walking with Neville falling in step beside him. "No, as I said, I want it to be something special. Something nobody else has. I've been to the Potter-Family vault and I've found something that's just perfect for her."

They entered the shop Neville had suggested and were greeted by an elderly woman. The shop itself was rather small but you could see that business was going well if the expensive furniture and even more expensive jewelry displayed was any indication.

"Good afternoon, young Sirs and welcome to _'Enchanting Charms',_" the woman said softly. "My name is Elaine Hope. How may I help you?"

Harry smiled. "Good afternoon. Well, I want to give my girlfriend a very special present and-"

The woman's eyes lit up and she started hurrying around the shop without letting him continue. "What do you have in mind? A necklace or bracelet? Earrings? Or even... a ring? We have wonderful, promise-, betrothal- and marriage-rings."

"I... wha- a ring? No!" Harry replied lamely and shook his head while softly kicking Neville who had started chuckling in the shin. "Not a ring... it's much too early for a ring..."

"Well then, how about earrings then?" Madame Hope asked smiling and Harry took a deep breath to get the blush off of his face. He smiled at the woman's giddy behavior. "What does your girlfriend prefer? Is she a silver- or gold-type? Or does she prefer platinum or white-gold?"

Harry and Neville looked at each other when the woman once more started hurrying around her shop. "What eye-color does she have? We need to find something that goes with her eyes, don't we? For blue it's best to use-"

"Actually," Harry interrupted before she could go into more detail. "I would like to know if you take custom-orders."

Madame Hope stopped walking around the shop and nodded slowly. "Certainly. We can engrave names, quotes or similar things into the piece of jewelry or change the stone or crystal if it is not already available."

He frowned slightly. "I had actually thought of crafting an entirely unique necklace and maybe – if it's possible - a pair of earrings out of this..."

Harry placed the cherry-wood box on the counter and the elderly woman's eyes widened to the size of dinner-plates when she opened it.

Then she composed herself and smiled brightly. "Yes, we can use this. However, it will be very expensive to craft as there is absolutely no room for error with something like this. And I need to contact one of my best smiths who is currently working in one of our shops in Florence..."

"I assure you, money is of no concern," Harry replied and felt a little snobbish while saying so. He inwardly shook his head while thinking: _'That feels strange... but once in a lifetime spending a small fortune is allowed, right?'_

Madame Hope eyed him for a few seconds and then took out a piece of paper. "Do you have anything specific in mind?"

Harry nodded and proceeded to tell her what he wanted his present to look like while she started drawing.

…**HPHPHP…**

"You're really head-over-heels for Hermione, huh?" asked Neville when they walked back to the Leaky Cauldron roughly an hour later.

After leaving the jewelry-shop they had stopped at Florean Fortescue's and each of the two had gotten a large cup of ice-cream on the house. They had chatted with Florean himself while enjoying the sun until it had once more vanished behind dark clouds.

You could see that the man's profit had gone down considerably due to firstly the threat of Voldemort and secondly the horrid weather. Florean had also told them as much after Harry had asked him about it when he noticed that apparently he had had to cut back on his assortment of ice-cream for the time being.

"If Hermione's just a bit like other girls, she's going to faint when she gets that present!" Neville whistled then.

"Oi! What d'you mean 'like other girls'?" Harry asked and gave him a playful shove which earned them a few worried looks from hurriedly passing witches and wizards. "She's the perfect girl just the way she is!"

"I mean, she isn't really like the other girls at Hogwarts, is she?" the Longbottom-heir said laughing and rubbed his shoulder. "I mean, most of them are... too girly."

Harry blinked slowly at his friend who blushed slightly and had to repress an amused chuckle when Neville looked for the right words.

"C'mon, you know what I mean! Hermione's not one of those beauty-magazine-and-make-up-girls. That doesn't mean she's ugly – she's beautiful and-" Neville hid his face between his hands to hide his embarrassment when Harry raised an eyebrow at him while holding the door to the pub open for him.

Neville shook his head and continued: "Harry, just look at Lavender and Parvati. They're the epitome of girlishness. They can talk about shoes _for hours. _They compare nail-polish, gossip non-stop and are all... _squeal-ish _and such!"

"It's okay, Nev," Harry grinned and clapped him on the back. "I know what you mean and thank Merlin, Hemrione's not like that. I guess I'll have to see if she – despite her lack of enthusiasm for the finer points of being a standard-girl – has a weakness for jewelry."

They were silent for a few seconds and looked at each other while waiting for a few wizards to use the floo.

Harry grinned. "Y'know, it's sad really – and no offense - but if somebody had told me last summer I wouldn't have believed that I'd be talking about things like that with you."

Neville smiled softly. "Me neither... but I guess I've changed since you've caught me getting pummeled by the Whomping Willow. Thanks for that."

"No thanks needed," Harry frowned. "You are who you are and nobody changed that."

"I- I guess so..." the slightly round-faced boy replied.

They greeted Tom, who was busy making drinks for a group of rapidly French-speaking wizards and finally went over to the fireplace that was now free of other people.

Harry turned to Neville. "Will you come over now as well? Eh… I think I'll have to get Padfoot first, though," he lowered his voice, "the Manor's under the Fidelius after all."

Neville shook his head. "No need. Sirius came over a week ago and told grandmother and me the location of Black Manor in case something happens. Our house has very good protections but you never know…"

Harry sighed and quietly thought to remember to thank his newly adopted-father for being prepared. He let Neville step into the fire first and followed him only a few seconds later.

* * *

**Much talking in this chapter, eh? But I felt it was necessary for further character-development and to get the story in the right direction.**

**Please leave a review! I'm always up for constructive criticism!**

**Shadow Phoenix of Slytherin**


	5. Waiting for the Fifth Member

**Hey!**

**Not much to say this time, save for the fact that the Chapter is _not_ beta-ed (as all the Chapters of this story currently are...)**

**I hope you enjoy Chapter 5 of 'Rise of the Phoenixes'!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Harry had been cursing quietly even before he had lost his footing and helplessly stumbled out of the fireplace in the living room of Black Manor.

Once more it was Remus who had to steady him. His eyes, however, were immediately drawn to Sirius, who was sitting on the sofa and did not quite fast enough manage to stop sniggering.

With an annoyed look on his face, Harry dusted his clothes off while noticing, that the snigger of the dog-animagus had turned into a slightly angry frown. Harry stiffened a little when Remus tapped his head with his wand.

"Thanks..." he mumbled and blinked after a small flash of white blinded him for a moment.

"Can't have you running around as a stranger now, can we?" said Remus and put the wand away. "Not that Rose gets a panic-attack when she sees someone she doesn't know."

Harry snorted and scratched his head. "I'm not sure she'll get a panic-attack in that case..."

"I can't believe you two pretend that _nothing_ happened!" Sirius suddenly exploded, however, his voice had remained on a normal level. "Remus! How could you go along with that?!"

"What?" asked the werewolf in a slightly annoyed voice that surprised Harry.

Sirius glared a little. "Instead of holding him back, you've helped him to disguise himself and let him go to Diagon Alley! D'you have any idea how dangerous that was? He can't use magic!"

"Well, _'he' _is standing right here..." murmured Harry with a roll of his eyes.

"Padfoot, you're getting a little over-protective, don't you think?" said the werewolf in a carefully controlled voice. "I've told you before, when Harry came back from getting the Horcrux with Dumbledore."

He crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked down at Sirius who was still sitting on the sofa. "I know that it was dangerous but must I remind you that Harry wasn't alone?"

Remus nodded over to Neville who was standing not far away from the werewolf, watching the exchange with a slightly uneasy look on his face.

The dog-animagus opened his mouth, hesitated, then closed it again and sighed tiredly when Harry grinned sheepishly and stepped forward to prevent a real argument between the grumpy Black and the currently very annoyed werewolf.

Harry eyed Remus for a few seconds and saw that he had now turned his back at Sirius and was glaring at nothing in particular. A quick look at the calendar on the other side of the room confirmed what Harry had guessed – tomorrow was a full-moon.

He decided not to get on the werewolf's bad side until then and noticed that he had never actually been near Remus shortly before a full-moon. When he had taught at Hogwarts, last year, as well as in his third year, he had always taken roughly five days off.

He turned back to the dog-animagus. "Sorry, Sirius but I really needed to go. And Remus is right. I'm nearly seventeen, so stop acting as if I'm a five-year-old."

"I... yeah. I know, Harry..." sighed Sirius and looked down. "Sorry... I can't blame you, as much as I want to..."

He gave a half-hearted glare at the steaming tea-cup on the table in front of him. "I guess I've got to blame my own stupidity for that this time... I don't know what I was thinking when letting you go to Diagon Alley despite knowing you can't use magic."

"Well, I'm glad your brain decided to leave you in that particular moment," Harry replied and noticed Remus give a sigh and turn back around.

Harry then gestured over to Neville. "As you suggested, he'll be staying over for the next few days."

"Well, I'm surprised," Sirius raised an eyebrow. "You actually listen to what I say?"

Harry shrugged. "It happens. Y'know, in those few rare moments where you're not an absolute nut-case but merely an idiot."

Sirius turned away from him and gave a mock-offended huff that made Remus next to Harry snort in amusement and Neville crack a small smile.

Harry once more eyed the werewolf carefully and nodded slightly to himself when the annoyance seemed to have disappeared from the usually calm and gentle man's face.

He then looked at Neville who was observing Sirius. From all of his friends, the Longbottom-heir was the one who did not really know Sirius. They had only met trice so far.

Firstly when Sirius had flooed into the Room of Requirement during the year (which lead Neville to nearly have a heart-attack at that time) and then shortly while they had fought in the Ministry.

"Remus! Didn't you say you'd come back outside with the Bludgers?" Rose's voice suddenly called a little impatiently. "You said you'd help me train a bit before it starts raining again!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Remus called back and to Harry's immense amusement the werewolf rolled his eyes and shook his head while turning to one of the large high-boards on the right of the fireplace.

He crouched down, opened it and took out a rather large case that immediately started vibrating. He looked at Sirius. "You coming as well?"

The Head of the House of Black grinned, simply shook his head and pointed at his steaming cup of tea while making himself more comfortable on the sofa. Remus shrugged and with a small wave at Harry and Neville left the room.

It was silent for a few moments and then Harry cracked a smile as Sirius waved his wand over to the door. "And you tell _me_ I'm getting lazy... you're the one doing nothing the whole day!"

"That's the privilege of the elderly!" Sirius quipped and sipped on his tea before catching a book that came zooming into the room.

"You're thirty-five." Harry deadpanned and Neville snorted.

"My point exactly," the dog-animagus answered as if Harry had just said he was Dumbledore's age. "By the way, it's nice to see you Neville. Make yourself at home."

He grinned after the Longbottom nodded and looked back at Harry. "And now scram! I think I deserve a few minutes of silence. Snape's been driving me up the wall with complaints about our _under-equipped_ potions-lab while you were gone!"

Harry was always surprised how quickly his godfather-turned-adoptive father could change from grumpy to his happy-go-lucky self but nodded nonetheless and turned to his friend.

"C'mon I show you your room and then give you a tour of the house..." he hesitated a little and then sighed. "I bet Draco'll be happy to see you s'well..."

**...HPHPHP...**

"Could it be that everyone in the house is a little tense?" Neville asked and let the bag he had brought with him fall on the bed of his temporary room. "I don't know them as well as you do, but Professor Lupin and your," Neville frowned and looked at him. "Father is it now?"

Harry shook his head. "Just Sirius. It'll be too strange to call him Dad, y'know?"

The Longbottom nodded in understanding and opened the window which provided a great view of the Quidditch-pitch where Rose was now zooming around with two Bludgers circling her.

"Well, as I said, I don't know them as well as you do but they had already been glaring at each other before you came through the fireplace after me." He gave Harry a questioning look then. "And what was that about Snape?"

"Dumbledore basically ordered Snape to stay here for protection. And when it comes to the resident werewolf... it's full-moon tomorrow. I guess that's why Remus has a very short fuse at the moment. And Sirius..." Harry sighed when he opened the door to his left to show Neville the en suite bathroom. "I guess it's partly my fault. However, ever since I came back with Dumbledore he's been treating me like I'm out of glass."

"Can't fault him for that now, can you?" chuckled Neville. "You've faced Voldemort in the Ministry and a few weeks later you're covered in bandages again. After nearly getting yourself killed, of course."

"Sure but that I survived both times should count for something, don't you think? By the way, you can use magic here,"Harry added when the Longbottom started pulling clothes out of his bag to put in the wardrobe.

Harry was silent and watched with a smile as Neville waved his wand with a thoughtful look on his face and clothes came zooming out of his back and disappeared into the wardrobe.

When he was finished he turned to the raven. "Well, how about that tour then?"

**...HPHPHP...**

Harry felt a bit of annoyance as he watched Neville dodge a leg-locker curse in curtsey of Draco.

During their tour of the house, they had found Draco training in the dueling room and as anticipated the blond was happy to see the Longbottom-heir. However, he had also completely ignored Harry even though he had been the one to enter the room first.

Neville first had looked a little thrown off when Harry had simply crossed his arms and pointedly stared into the opposite direction after the blond had made clear that he had no intention of talking to the raven.

They had chatted for a few minutes and Neville had agreed to a duel. Whereas Harry once more cursed the fact that he was still not allowed to do magic, he had absolutely nothing against that and even admitted to himself that he was curious to see if Neville had improved since the end of term.

Harry shook his head and turned his attention back to the present. _'I really need to stop spacing out this much...' _

The two fighters where both running, dodging and attacking with nearly all they had, but where limiting themselves to harmless and non-lethal curses.

It was obvious that Draco had the advantage over Neville as he had a broader range of charms, jinxes and hexes in his repertoire. And that was without counting the lighter curses the blond occasionally used.

Neville's spells, however, where all slightly more powerful than Draco's and Harry was happy to note that even Draco sometimes stumbled due to the force of a spell after reflecting it.

The most dangerous curse they used was a simple _'Diffindo'_ and Harry was pleased to note that Neville's aim had gotten decidedly better when he managed to give Draco a shallow cut on the left side of his torso.

Draco quickly recovered, erected a shield around himself and closed his eyes. Harry raised an eyebrow when Neville did the same and then smirked. _'It's going to get interesting...'_

The magic in the air was becoming stronger and now nearly touchable.

Harry winced when his arm suddenly started throbbing painfully. He frowned a little and carefully flexed his fingers before looking at the bandages that covered his arm up to his elbow. _'Don't tell me foreign magic affects it as well?'_

His eyes widened and he quickly dodged when a stray-spell sped at him and impacted on the wall behind him. With a glare at the two fighters, he decided to ignore his arm for now.

Neville was getting tired – that much was obvious.

His movements were getting a little sluggish and the power behind his spells had decreased a little, which enabled Draco to back him into a corner. The blond was slightly out of breath as well, which at least showed Harry, that he was taking their duell seriously.

Harry closed his eyes and carefully searched for Neville's consciousness. He was pleasantly surprised to find it guarded by rather strong Occlumency shields and nearly hit himself when he realized that he had never given much thought to teaching the young man Occlumency.

However, as a phoenix-animagus it was not that difficult for him to find a tiny hole in them which would enable him to talk to his friend.

_'Neville, aim at Draco's left side, he doesn't defend it properly,'_ he said mentally to the chubbier fighter who shortly regarded him in wonder.

It was then that Harry also realized he had only used this method of communication with Neville during their fight in the Ministry and guessed the Longbottom had thought it to be a temporary spell.

The Longbottom's eyes narrowed a little and Harry realized he had taken his suggestion to heart and was looking for an opening.

He did not have to wait long for it to appear.

Draco had started to chant silently while dodging some of Neville's spells which were only aiming for a distraction and his wand-tip started glowing in a soft violet light.

He was not far away from Neville now – and that is when it happened.

The blond had to take a wide swipe for a spell which Harry now recognized as a strong Paralysis-Hex which would normally last for twenty-four hours when it was not countered by the caster himself.

Neville with a show of perfect timing shot a low-level cutting curse at the blond's side which hit its mark perfectly and made Draco stumble.

Harry shook his head. Despite his hit, it was over for Neville.

Draco had managed to regain his footing within two seconds and snapped his wand at Neville.

Nothing happened at first and Harry grimaced when another small jolt of pain shot through his arm when the wave of magic the spell had emitted reached him. He swept some sweat of his forehead and eyed Neville who seemed a little puzzled that nothing happened.

Suddenly the Longbottom stiffened and with a yelp of surprise his knees gave away like they had suddenly turned into jelly and he stumbled to the ground.

"Ouch..." murmured Harry when Neville gave a groan from the sudden fall.

Draco trained his wand on the fallen young man and looked at him. "Do you yield?"

Neville grimaced. "I don't have a choice, do I? I can't move. I yield."

Draco nodded with a smile and countered the hex with a seemingly random movement of his wand and held his hand out for Neville who simply shook his head.

"Urgh... no thanks, I think I'll stay like that for a little longer..." Neville groaned and Draco chuckled.

"Sorry, you'll have to get back on your feet by yourself then. I promised my mother to help her with something and need to take a shower first."

"Yeah... and I'm air..." mumbled Harry to himself and rolled his eyes. The blond's apparent refusal to come to terms with the truth and apologize was really starting to get on his nerves.

"No problem," replied Neville and rolled over onto his back.

Draco nodded and put his wand back into the holster on his right arm. When he had nearly reached the door, Harry coughed softly which made the blond freeze shortly.

"You need to watch your left side," he said quietly. "It's always been your weak spot. In a real duel with serious curses, Neville's last hit could've killed you."

The blond hesitated for a split second longer and then gave a curt nod before leaving.

Harry sighed and shrugged helplessly when Neville looked at him with a raised eyebrow – still lying on the floor. "Didn't I tell you? I'm surprised he even stopped."

The other boy pushed himself to his knees and Harry walked over to him to help him to his feet. "Well... he certainly can hold a grudge..."

Neville winced a little when he eyed the large cut on his right forearm. "I didn't think it'll be that bad. What was that about, anyway? I nearly jumped out of my skin when I suddenly heard your voice in my head."

"A slight side-benefit of being a phoenix-animagus," answered Harry and noticed his friend's shoulders sag when he gave a sigh.

"I still haven't managed to get a good look at my form..." Neville murmured. "I'm starting to think I'm simply not suited for being an animagus."

"Nothing at all?"

"Well... the last time I meditated a feather landed in front of me... It was a mix between brown and copper. I tried to find an animal with feathers like that... but nothing really fit. That was however, before I remembered you telling me not to simply believe that no human can turn into a magical being. Your and the other's phoenix-form just proves it."

Harry chuckled a little when Neville blushed. "After that... well... it looked like the feather of a Griffin. At least I hope so."

"A griffin under badgers..." Harry mused with a smile and then eyed his friend for a short while. "Being a griffin would certainly fit your personality."

"How so?" asked Neville apparently completely surprised.

"To make it short: Griffins are strong creatures, Nev. When it comes to brute force you can outshine nearly everyone," he smiled softly at the thankful look in his friends eyes and was determined to get rid of all the Longbottom's insecurities during the holidays once and for all. "At the same time you're quite the strategist and nearly can give Ron a run for his money. It's no coincidence that we agreed on you teaching the attacking-force of the H.A."

The happy look on Neville's face was all Harry needed to confirm that this small explanation had been a big step in fully ridding Neville of his self-confidence issues.

"As soon as my arm is fully healed, we two will train with the time-turner to sped up your training as the others did last summer." He grimaced. "In the meantime... ask Draco if he's got time."

He held up his hand when Neville wanted to say something and the still slightly chubby young man closed his mouth a little reluctantly and nodded.

**...HPHPHP...**

"Can you believe it?! That thing's actually still alive!"

"Of course, Ron, we're talking about a dragon," Harry replied in amusement and stretched his limps like a cat would. "And it's not an 'it' she's called Lysandra or Lys for short."

The two of them were enjoying a game of chess in the garden. Ron (and his whole family save for Percy who was living with his current girlfriend Penelope Clearwater) had arrived the day before and after the initial shock of seeing the giant and luxurious manor, they had quickly settled in.

It had been a little difficult to separate them all into the rooms of the manor. However, for now a temporary wall had been added to the circular master-bedroom on the third floor which was now two rooms. One was still occupied by Sirius and the other now by Mr and Mrs Weasley.

Bill, Charlie, Fred and George where sharing the biggest guest-bedroom and Rose had happily agreed to share a room with Ginny. Neville had moved into Draco's room and Harry was now bunking with Ron.

And Selwyn... well it had been a little difficult to find a place for the vampire. Harry and Sirius being the only ones who knew what Selwyn was, had agreed on the fact, that the vampire – however much they trusted him – would not share his room with any living being that could be seen as a potential blood-donor.

That is why after being at a loss for a few minutes they had basically moved him into one of the former horse-stables in the garden which had been changed to basically one large apartment. Harry had never seen the vampire as amused as in that moment.

Their resident potions master had agreed to take a room in the dungeons where the windows were enchanted so that daylight entered it. It was located right next to the potions-lab.

And finally, Narcissa and Remus still had their bedrooms for themselves.

Harry shook his head. It was like Black Manor had turned into a hotel and it was a little disturbing to suddenly have so much people around once more after nearly three rather quiet weeks.

However, back to their current chess-game.

Ron grinned as he slaughtered one of Harry's knights. "According to Charlie it... well, Lysandra's nesting again... as if anybody needs more of those Hungarian Horntails!"

Harry chuckled in amusement. "Well, after the initial shock of seeing her when I was in Romania while traveling with the time-turner, she turned out to be a rather interesting creature... if you don't count the fact that the first time she saw me, she nearly roasted me."

"Charlie said that it takes dragons a long time to forget..." Ron snorted when another one of Harry's pieces fell to his queen. "I guess she wanted to get back at you for the first task in the Triwizard Tournament."

Harry did not answer and crossed his arms in thought while Ron surveyed the board – probably thinking how many turns it would take to fully crush Harry within the next five minutes.

It was only the two of them at the moment. Harry looked over to the small forest that was part of the property and then up to the library window. As far as he knew, both places where currently occupied by Neville and Draco.

The two in the library were reading up on wards, dark magic and everything else Draco came up with while their past-selves where in the forest doing practical work.

Harry smiled. Save for Ron, the Weasleys were the only ones who did _not_ know what the two of them were doing and they had agreed to let it stay that way before Mrs Weasley could start a rant of how irresponsible that was.

The raven focused back on the board and carelessly placed one of his pieces directly in line of Ron's Tower.

As opposed to popular belief of him being a little slow on the uptake, the red-head had immediately noticed the tension between Draco and Harry, but had not commented on it until he and Harry were alone in his room.

After Harry recounting the events that had lead to Draco's and his current refusal to really talk to each other, the red-head had looked as pissed of as Harry felt.

However, in a moment of surprising maturity (Harry _really_ needed to stop thinking like his girlfriend...) Ron had said that it was a problem between them and would not affect how he himself acted towards the blond wizard.

Harry forcefully shook himself out of his thoughts once more and noticed that he had no chance of avoiding a checkmate.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair when a few small drops of rain suddenly landed on his face and he did not need a mirror to see that he must look really pissed-off by now.

"I can't believe it..."

"It's just a little rain, Harry," chuckled Ron with an amused smile. "It's not the end of the world."

"You've been to Romania the whole time," Harry replied sullenly and helped the red-head to put the chess-pieces back into the small box. "Here in England it's been raining nearly non-stop since the start of the holidays!"

"Really? And I thought it was just a little cold for this time of the year..."

They were interrupted when Hedwig landed on the chess-board in front of Harry and threw a few pieces on the floor. He had to chuckle when she looked at the queen still standing near to her talons and then kicked it down to the others on the floor as if proving a point.

She hooted softly and puffed her feathers when Ron started laughing. Harry noticed a letter fastened around her leg and his chuckles turned into a soft smile when he recognized the curvy writing of his favorite brown-haired bookworm on the envelope.

Harry threw his friend a look when the red-head whistled and unfolded the rather long letter.

**...HP...**

_Dear Shadow,_

_how have you been? And Snuffles, his friend and Rosie? Has everybody settled in? And you've mentioned … the bat (Sorry, I couldn't think of another name!) in your last letter... is he staying with you?!_

_Well, I really have to admit, I'm still surprised – but happy - that you really kept your word and wrote me four letters in only two weeks. Is the weather back home really that awful? I haven't seen a single drop of rain here since we've arrived._

_Not really much has happened here since your last letter. We've been on holiday here three times already, but this time we could finally see the magical side of the city. It's stunning how different it is from back home! I noticed that the French wizards and witches still hold a little animosity towards the English, but I can't really fault them for that due to the history between our countries. However, the culture and – well, I will tell you everything when I'm back, okay?_

_I miss you... really I do and I can't wait to see you on Friday! _

_I think it's fair that I give you a small warning though: I've finally told my parents about us. My mother seemed happy and can't wait to meet you! Dad, however... well I think he wants to have a long talk with you... men! I've always thought those over-protective fathers were a cliche fiction-writers and Hollywood directors have come up with!_

_Well then... take care, yes? Don't do anything stupid until Friday. I would like my boyfriend to be in one piece when I see him._

_With love_

_Nyneve (I still don't know how you came up with that name!)_

**...HP...**

Harry smiled guiltily when he read her small warning to stay out of trouble and looked at his still bandaged arm. With a little luck he would be cleared to use magic again tomorrow and could get rid of the bandages before Friday.

Ron was frowning a little after Harry placed the letter on the table.

"Nyneve?" he looked up. "Y'know... it's a good question. How'd you come up with that?"

Harry eyed his friend a little incredulously. "Ron... you're a pureblood, aren't you? Then... you're surely familiar with the Arthurian Legend?"

"Uhm... yeah, a little bit. Who doesn't know Merlin and Morgan? And my sister's named after one of the characters after all... Ginny is an abbreviation of Guinevere, y'know?"

"Then maybe this rings a bell: Nyneve is the 'Lady of the Lake'. Or rather the second lady. Heard of her?"

Ron stared at him. "The second lady? I thought there was only one. The one who gave Arthur his sword."

Harry shook his head and felt a little strange all of sudden. Here he was, educating his pure-blooded friend in a subject everybody who had grown up in the Wizardring World should know by heart. With all its details.

"The one who gave Arthur his sword was the first Lady of the Lake. Later however, it was a different one."

"A different... oh! Now I remember!" his face turned thoughtful and he frowned at Harry. "But Harry... wasn't that Lady of the Lake you're talking about evil? She was the one to seal Merlin so that he could no longer help Arthur, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, but she was also the one who saved Arthur twice," Harry replied. "Nyneve first saved Arthur from Accolon who was given Excalibur by Morgan le Fay to use against him, and then a second time by preventing Accolon from donning the destructive cloak sent to him by Morgan."

The red-head nodded. "Okay. I still don't get how you came up with that name for Hermione though... I mean, it's obvious you use nicknames in your letters to prevent anyone from realizing who you are should the letter get into the wrong hands."

Harry grinned. "Firstly, Nyneve was a very powerful sorceress and secondly: The nickname fits Hermione because of her animagus-form being a Water-Phoenix."

"Oh," Ron was silent for a while and looked down. Harry inwardly chuckled to himself at the red-heads expression when he looked back up. "Care for another game?"

Harry only now noticed that they were slowly getting soaked by the rain and nodded. "Yeah... but let's move to the living-room."

**...HPHPHP...**

It was shortly before dinner on the following Friday and Harry sighed tiredly when he heard another door being slammed. What the hell where they doing down there? Had Sirius and Remus decided that the dueling-room in the basement was no longer good enough?

"Will you listen now, you insolent brat!"

Harry's attention snapped back to the scowling potions-master in front of him and he gave a slightly sheepish grin – something he would have gotten cursed for last year. It was still a little strange for him to be able to talk to Snape without wanting to hex the man and vice-versa. He frowned a little. Snape had been a little on the edge ever since he had entered Harry's room with the demand to have a look at his arm.

"I'm sorry Professor. What did you say?"

Snape glared at him and with that really managed to make Harry feel as if he was looked down upon.

"I recommend that you refrain from using highly advanced spells for the next two days. Your body will need to get used to doing magic again," Snape then drawled and turned his arm around to look at the underside.

The skin was still a little red and raw but the burn-like black marks had disappeared completely. Harry was still a little over-sensitive and had to bit his lip when Snape applied the thick salve on it once more and then once more put bandages on his arm that reached up to his elbow.

"The bandages are to remain untouched until tomorrow. Do not unwrap them by yourself. I need to make sure the curse has fully disappeared. Did I make myself clear?"

Snape eyed him for a moment as if daring him to argue and when Harry did not answer his scowl deepened. "Potter! For Merlin's sake did you listen to a word I've said?!"

Another door was being slammed downstairs.

"Yes, Sir," Harry replied finally and resigned himself to the fate of having to endure an earful from his girlfriend when she would arrive in roughly an hour.

"Very well,"the Potions-Master said and when the commotion downstairs did grow even louder, he went over to the door. "Until tomorrow then."

Harry stared at his now closed door and then decided to see for himself what all the noise was about before going to the small forest of the property where his friends were currently training.

He quietly followed the aggravated voices and hurried footsteps. When he reached the top of the stairs, he saw that Snape marched trough the hall with billowing robes, carrying several potions and disappeared into the living room.

He frowned as entered the living room himself and stopped dead in his tracks while his brain registered the scene that was before him.

"What the-"

He staggered slightly to the side when someone else rushed past him and he saw that it had been Remus who had a stack of bandages in his hands. His eyes drifted over to the the coffee-table that apparently had been moved over to the fireplace to serve as a table for various potions and draughts.

Tonks, McGonagall and Dumbledore were standing around two armchairs next to the table. All were looking wary if not downright depressed. Two people were sitting on the armchairs. One of them was coughing up blood with every second or third heaving breath he took, but Harry couldn't make out any physical injuries.

However, he saw that his shirt was bloody. It was a man with brown hair and brown-gray eyes. He was clutching his sides, so Harry guessed he had broken rips or something like that. His muggle-style clothes where torn and he looked like he had been in a fight.

The other person he didn't know was a woman who sat next to him. She had long dark blond hair, fastened in a tousled ponytail. She looked fine, except for the lost look in her hazel eyes and the tears streaming down her face.

Her clothes, too, were torn.

Harry's eyes narrowed. This definitely looked like the work of Death Eaters. A low growl made him look over to the door leading into the garden and he saw Selwyn standing in front of it with his back turned and guessed that the vampire was having a hard time controlling himself with all the blood the man was spitting out.

Harry slowly went over to Sirius, who was sitting on the couch not far away from the others. He had his head buried in his hands and his elbows were resting on the table.

"What's going on here?" Harry asked and Sirius's head snapped up.

"Harry! I didn't see you coming," he said and Harry got a bad feeling when the animagus didn't look him in the eyes. "D'you need something?"

With a sigh Harry shook his head. "No, but I'd like to know what's going on. What happened to those two there?"

Sirius didn't answer at first when the fireplace flared and Madam Pomfrey stepped out of it. "There was a Death Eater attack."

"I gathered as much…"

The medi-witch immediately rushed to the injured man and started casting diagnostic-spells while she murmured something to Snape and he handed her some vials of potion that he recognized as Skele-Grow and Pepper-Up potion.

Harry shook his head with disgust and caught Dumbledore's eye. Sirius gently pushed him in the direction of the door. "You shouldn't be here, go upstairs and try to distract Rose from getting down here.'

Snape seemed to have realized he was here now because he looked at Harry. "Potter, don't you have something better to do than staring?"

Harry huffed. "Well, excuse me, I'll go then. I was waiting for Hermione to arrive anyway."

Suddenly the woman he didn't know gave a cry of despair and clung onto the man next to her. "I want my little girl! WHERE IS SHE?!" she sobbed and Harry sighed before he made his way to the door.

"Jean, please… don't cry," said a raspy voice Harry thought must belong to the man. "Everything's going to be okay."

"NO!" screamed the woman and Harry hesitated at the door. "Those monsters have her! She was fighting them! We couldn't even help her because we can't use magic!"

Harry's head whirled around. _'Those two are muggles!?'_

The woman was in hysterics now. She was sobbing uncontrollably against the man's chest, again and again screaming that she wanted her little girl back. For the first time Harry noticed that the two were vaguely familiar and he desperately tried to place them.

Finally Madam Pomfrey seemed to have enough. She gestured Snape to hold the woman and then she forced a vial of Calming-Draught down her throat. "That's quite enough. Going into hysterics won't help your daughter Mrs Granger!"

Harry felt as if somebody had rammed a knife into is chest at the words Madam Pomfrey had just said. Mrs. Granger… that muggle woman's name was _Granger!_

_'That's why I know her!'_

His whole body stiffened and his eyes widened, while his hands clenched into fists. He felt all eyes on him when the temperature in the room dropped.

"Harry-," said Dumbledore carefully and wanted to go to him, but was stopped by a strong gust of wind.

"Where?" asked Harry lowly and looked at Dumbledore without really seeing him.

"Harry, please calm down. There's no need to-"

"WHERE IS SHE?!" bellowed Harry and felt someone gripping his shoulders. "Where's Hermione? What happened?"

The man that Harry now knew was Hermione's father looked at him with sorrow in his eyes. "You are Harry Potter, aren't you? The young man that managed to become my little girl's boyfriend?"

Harry felt himself trembling and nodded. "Yes… where... where is she?"

"She…they appeared in front of our beach house in France just when we wanted to leave… she fought those black-robed monsters and… and then we were rescued by Professor Dumbledore and the others here. But this device… portkey you call it?"

Harry nodded stiffly and shortly looked behind him when the grip on his shoulder tightened. It was Sirius who was holding him as if to hinder him from escaping.

He turned his attention back to Mr. Granger. "It… it went off to early. H-hermione she… she couldn't reach it in time… she s-she… she didn't come w-with us."

Harry felt rage starting to boil inside him and turned to the members of the Order that where in the room. "Tell me, that you didn't leave her there," he asked very quietly.

The Death Eaters disapparated with her not even a second later…" Remus said quietly. "We don't know where they went and we had to get medical attention for some of us."

A part of him knew that there hadn't been another choice, or else Hermione's parents would have been injured, or worse, killed. But… another part of him just wanted to curse everybody present for not being faster.

"I'm going," he stated as calmly as possible when the temperature in the room returned to normal again.

"Um… cub, where exactly are you going? What're you planning to do?" asked Remus quietly when he had finished bandaging some smaller wounds on the man's chest.

Harry took a deep breath but did not reply.

Sirius loosened his grip on his shoulders and eyed him carefully. "You're not going to do something stupid or dangerous, like… trying to rescue her?"

Harry looked at him with no emotion whatsoever in his eyes. "What could I do by myself?"

"… okay," said Sirius quietly and Harry glanced at the Headmaster and the other teachers.

He turned around and started to walk to the door. When he had left the kitchen behind him he went up the stairs and stopped.

"Unbelievable…" he hissed through clenched teeth and went into his room. He opened his wardrobe and took out a heavy black cloak. It felt soft, but at the same time hard and he slowly traced the material with his fingers.

He scoffed. The cloak looked exactly like a Death Eaters' robe with its hood and the silver fastenings. It was a Death Eaters' robe to be exact. Selwyn had given it to Harry in case he would ever need to disguise himself.

His hand suddenly started trembling. He let the heavy fabric slide through his fingers and took a chocked breath. _'How? How am I supposed to do this?'_

Angrily he threw the cloak back into his wardrobe and slammed the door shut. "Damn!"

With an angry yell he hit the door with his fist and then let his head fall against the dark wood. A sharp pain shot up his arm which reminded him of the fact that although he was allowed to do magic again, he was not completely healed yet.

"Hermione…" he whispered brokenly and slit down on the floor.

He turned his head to look at Hedwig, who had screeched at his yell and was now curiously staring at him from her perch across the room. The snowy owl hooted softly and with a few flaps of her wings landed on his shoulder and softly nibbled on his ear.

He stroked her soft feathers with his trembling fingers and did not even look up when he heard someone entering his room.

"Mate? What's going on?"

It was Ron who had spoken and he was followed by Draco and Neville. All three of them stopped in their tracks when they saw him sitting on the floor in front of his wardrobe.

Harry didn't look at them and turned his head in the general direction of the window. He took a deep breath and slowly got back to his feet. Hedwig hooted once more and flew back over to her perch. His friends hesitantly stepped into the room and closed the door behind them.

"Harry?" whispered Neville hesitantly.

Finally he turned around and looked at them. He did not care that tears threatened to escape his eyes. He felt so damn useless at the moment…he knew that it was impossible for him to go and save his girlfriend! He knew that he would not even stand a chance if he was at full health. Fighting against an unknown number of Death Eaters and possibly Voldemort himself on his own was just something he knew he would not be able to pull off despite his training.

"He… h-he has Hermione… Voldemort… he captured her… in France!"

Three gasps followed that announcement and Ron heavily fell down on a nearby armchair, his eyes wide while Draco clenched his fists and bit his lip.

"But… the Order… what about all the magical detectors they have installed in their holiday-house?" Neville asked in a quivering voice and also sat down on one of the five armchairs in his room.

Harry shook his head and angrily wiped his eyes. He once more turned his back on them. He took some deep breaths and only answered when he was sure the tremble in his voice from earlier was gone. "The emergency-portkey activated too early. Hermione was not with her parents at that time… the Death Eaters disapparated with her before the Order could do anything."

"I can't believe it!" growled Draco and an invisible wind around him made his hair whip around. "That bastard!"

"What're we gonna do?" asked Ron in a hoarse voice and Harry noticed that he was holding his wand tightly clenched between his fingers. "Where is she kept?"

He sadly shook his head. "I don't know…"

Draco crossed the room and stopped in front of him. "What is the Order planning? When will we move out to rescue her?"

"For Merlin's sake! I DON'T KNOW!" Harry exploded and at that moment wanted to do nothing more than blast his head off. He glared at the blond who unfortunately was the best person to vent off his anger on due to their strained relationship over the last few days.

"I'm surprised you've decided I'm worth talking to again," he hissed then.

Draco shook his head and shortly looked away. "This has nothing to do with you this is about rescuing Hermione."

Harry glared a little while longer and then nodded curtly. The shock of learning that Hermione had been captured was eating at him and he had to concentrate hard to keep his mind into focus. However, he managed to keep his temper in check.

The tension between the blond and him was had not been lifted in the slightest, but Harry decided to ignore that fact for now.

He was roughly grabbed by his shoulder and stumbled a little when Draco pulled him over to the door. "We're going down there now! The others may already have a plan."

Harry let himself being led down into the living room. He noticed immediately that Mr. and Mrs. Granger were gone and that Selwyn was nowhere to be seen as well. The number of people in the room, however, had risen. Kingsley, Moody and Flitwick had joined the group of adults in the room and all were sitting on the armchairs or sofas, discussing something.

"I hope you're talking about how to rescue Hermione," Harry said coldly and they all looked up at him.

Before anybody could answer something, the fireplace flared and Selwyn stepped out of it. He looked a little ruffled, but a satisfied albeit grim smile was on his face. "I can't tell you exactly where the hideout is because of the Fidelius the Dark Lord is using, but it is somewhere in the Peak District National Park."

"That's wonderful news," Dumbledore nodded.

Selwyn waved his hand and with that a piece of paper appeared in each person's hand. Much to their surprise even in Harry's and his friends' hands. Harry looked down at it and noticed that it was a map. A very confusing map, but a map nonetheless. There were around a hundred rooms with one giant room in the centre. Each room was connected by a number of winding passages with some of them ending in dead-ends.

"This is a map of the Dark Lord's hideout," the red-haired vampire explained. "I was able to acquire some copies of it when I searched one of his offices. Sadly I can't tell you what's in each of the rooms. Death Eaters can only enter the Assembly Hall in the middle of the map and I've just managed to search the rooms directly connected to it."

"The one that is just slightly larger than the two rooms to the right of the Assembly Hall is a potions lab," pointed Snape out. "I had to brew some potions for the Dark Lord there right after he established this labyrinth as his hideout."

"But isn't Voldemort hiding at Malfoy Manor?" asked Draco and stepped closer to the group of adults.

Snape shook his head. "Certainly not. The Manor may be big but it would be too easy to escape from it as it is rather open. I can't say the location of his current hideout either, but the largest part of it is underground."

"Please join us," said Dumbledore before Snape could say anything more and gestured for Harry, Ron and Neville to come closer as well. "I believe it is time to start coming up with a plan of action."

…**HPHPHP…**

Half-an hour later Harry stormed out of the house and into the garden with his friends hot on his heels.

He was stopped, however, when a strong hand grabbed his arm. "Oh, no! You don't! You children are staying here!"

Harry whirled around to see Sirius glaring at him with his wand clutched in his hand and pointed straight at Harry's head. Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously and he forcefully ripped his arm from Sirius's grasp.

"We've just made a plan, Sirius," he said in a quiet and controlled voice. "And my friends and I are a part of the plan."

"I know but it's too dangerous!" Sirius pressed out through clenched teeth. "Let us handle it and go back inside! I don't know what Albus was thinking…"

"Dumbledore knows that the Order needs every person available to break into Voldemort's hideout.," replied the angered teen. He took a few steps back to avoid Sirius grabbing his arm again and turned his back on him. "I'm sorry Sirius but we need to stop wasting time! I don't think Voldemort will simply entertain Hermione with a cup of tea!"

"But Harry it-"

"STOP mothering me!" snapped Harry whose currently very short fuse was dangerously close to making him explode. He looked at Sirius with a scowl. "I've been fine by myself until now and don't need someone to start fussing over me now that I'm nearly of age!"

Dumbledore walked over to them and placed a calming hand on Sirius's shoulder. "Sirius, I won't lie to you. What we are about to do is very dangerous but as Harry said, we need every person available if we want to have only a small chance of rescuing Miss Granger before it is too late."

Sirius looked at Harry for a long while and then a soft, yet sad smile appeared on his face. "Yeah... I understand." He wanted to say something else, but stopped himself when Dumbledore raised his hand.

"Thanks to Mr. Selwyn we know the general location of the hideout and each of us has a detailed map of the building. Harry, Mr. Weasley and young Mr. Black can change into their animagus forms to get out of the building any time they want should something happen."

Dumbledore did not say any more but Harry noted with satisfaction that Sirius had accepted the fact that he was going as well. The dog-animagus placed a hand on his shoulder and sighed.

"All right… promise me to be really careful, pup."

Harry nodded slightly and sighed as well when Sirius gave him a rough hug. He looked down when something tugged on his arm and was surprised to see Rose standing there with tears in her eyes.

"Bring her back, Harry," she said softly and then turned to Sirius. "And come back safe…"

Harry and Sirius each hugged the girl before Narcissa stepped forward and took her hand. She, Mr and Mrs Weasley and Madam Pomfrey would be staying at Black Manor in case someone was injured and needed immediate help. Snape and Selwyn would stay back due to their status as spies and the high risk of being exposed should something go wrong.

Remus, Tonks, Kingsley, Moody, McGonagall and Flitwick had also joined them in the garden now. All of their faces were set into grim expressions.

Dumbledore clapped his hands and they each assembled in a circle. "Remus, Sirius and Mr. Longbottom you will apparate to the edge of Birchover and from there on will search the south-east of Peak District National Park for Tom's hideout."

Dumbledore was more serious than Harry had ever heard him be before and rubbed his slightly prickling arm when the old wizard continued: "Alastor, Tonks and Mr. Weasley you will start the search at Holme and are responsible for the north of the National Park. Kingsley, Fillius and Mr. Black, you will start in Wincle and look in the west."

The Headmaster looked at his deputy and Harry. "Minerva and Harry, you will come with me. We will start in Castleton and see if we can find the hideout in the centre. And Misters Weasley, which means Bill, Charlie, Fred and George will each take a broom and search the National Park from above. Do not split up."

Harry noticed that Mr Weasley had to hold back his wife from saying anything then and was glad that for once the over-protective mother showed a lot of restrain and simply let them go.

Each respective team nodded curtly at the orders and Dumbledore smiled grimly. "When anybody of you finds evidence of magic in the area, send a Patronus to inform everyone else. Injured are to be brought back here immediately."

They each took a deep breath and the Headmaster nodded. "Good luck everyone."

With that several 'cracks' were heard and the majority of the people that had been in the garden of Black Manor was gone.

* * *

**Well... what do you think? I know there are probably really stupid mistakes in this chapter, but I typed it up quickly as I didn't want to make you wait any longer. And... I'm sooooo not satisfied with how that chapter turned out. -.-  
**

**Leave a review, please!  
**

**Shadow Phoenix of Slytherin.**


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